Les perce-neiges de fevrier/Snowdrops of February
by Paul Corrigan
Summary: St. Valentine's Day, from the perspective of Kano Miyazawa. (Now broken into 3 chapters for greater ease of reading and to evade fanfiction.net bugs.)
1. Mon chemin ce n'est pas un chemin, c'est...

Thanks in particular to Ukyou Kuonji and Julian Fong for many helpful   
discussions (and the occasional line; the omake is mostly Ukyou's), and   
to Luke Mason and Amelia Corrigan for useful comments.  
  
A word of warning before we begin: this story follows on from the   
continuity of my previous stories "STILLE NACHT" and "Susuharai," so   
the reader would do well to look over those before proceeding. I hope   
that that won't be too much of a burden. ^_^  
  
The English translations of Gilles Vigneault's lyrics are my own. I'd   
probably be deluding myself if I thought that my jokes at the expense   
of Quebec nationalism were still funny to anyone save myself; however,   
Kano was born too early to be a _Gekiganger_ otaku, so SAGN will have   
to do. :)  
  
Comments are always welcome.  
  
Happy Valentine's Day.  
  
Paul Corrigan  
corrig11@pilot.msu.edu  
  
--  
  
Rei: [Q] You possess a false body and a false soul. Do you know why?  
[A] I am neither false nor fake. I am simply me.  
[Q] No. You are an empty shell with a false soul...You're just an   
object that is pretending to be human. Look deep within yourself. Do   
you perceive the almost intangible and invisible presence that lurks   
below your waking self, inside your darkest dreams? It is there that   
your true identity lies.  
[A] No. I am me. I became myself by the instrumentality of the   
links and relationships between myself and others. I am formed by   
interaction with others. They create me as I create them....  
[Q] But there is someone else who is your true self. You don't   
know her, but she exists.  
  
--_Neon Genesis Evangelion_, episode 25, 1996  
  
Nanami: I want to surpass everything. I'll beat you, and then my   
brother, myself up to now...My brother was part of how I could be myself. I   
believed that there had to be some sort of bond between us. But there was   
nothing!...Tell me. What do I have? Am I just one more lowly insect?  
  
--_Revolutionary Girl Utena_, episode 32, 1997  
  
--  
  
[Night. The Miyazawa living room.]  
  
[Cut to the couch. A young man, apparently Soichiro Arima, and a young   
woman, apparently Yukino Miyazawa, stand before the couch, with the   
Arima figure on the left and the Yukino figure on the right; the Arima   
figure is holding the Yukino figure's hands in his and staring deeply   
into her eyes. The Arima figure is dressed in his black winter uniform;   
the Yukino figure is in a white kimono with no motif of any kind. It is   
not clear, however, that these in fact are the Arima and Yukino we   
know, however, because they seem to glow with an unearthly light which,   
for all that, does not seem to light up the room.]  
  
Yukino: I have been expecting you.  
  
Arima: I am honored to be here at last.  
  
[They embrace and kiss deeply.]  
  
[Cut to the floor at the feet of the Arima and Yukino figures. The   
Arima figure apparently is wearing black socks; the Yukino figure is   
barefoot. We see the kimono slowly slip to the floor.]  
  
[Cut to the easy chair, on which Hideaki Asaba is sitting. Kano   
Miyazawa is sitting on his lap. For no apparent reason Peropero the dog   
is on Kano's lap. Asaba and Kano are expressionless, apparently staring   
at the scene unfolding before them at the couch.]  
  
[Close up on Asaba's face.]  
  
Asaba: [formally] I know what you are thinking. They are like gods.  
  
[Close up on Kano's face.]  
  
Kano: [equally formally] I cannot possibly compare to her.  
  
[Asaba's hand catches her chin, and Asaba turns her face to face his.]  
  
Asaba: What if I told you that you were wrong?  
  
[Kano blushes, but for all that does not stop Asaba as he moves to kiss   
her deeply.]  
  
[Cut to a view of the hall from the living room, facing away from the   
couch and the easy chair. A figure in an apparently shapeless outfit is   
just visible in the shadow, owing in part to round-rimmed glasses that   
catch the dim moonlight. Peropero dashes into the dark hall out of   
sight.]  
  
Kano: [whispered] I feel strange...  
  
[The light reflected from the glasses of the figure disappears.]  
  
[Cut to the ceiling in the bedroom of the Miyazawa daughters. The main   
light is switched off, but is just visible in the dim light.]  
  
Tsukino: [off; whining] Kano! Do you have to be so loud when you're   
sleeping?  
  
[Cut to a closeup of Kano's head, poking out from under the futon. She   
has apparently just woken up from a dream. Her left hand is tucked   
under her head.]  
  
Kano: [groggily] I know for a fact I wasn't crying again.  
  
[Cut to a full view of both Tsukino and Kano in their futons. Tsukino   
is curled up in her futon, her eyes shut, having clearly been trying to   
sleep and failing, owing possibly to the noise Kano has been making.]  
  
Tsukino: [angrily, through her teeth] No! You were groaning like you   
were being tortured or something! Can't you have normal dreams like   
everyone else? I need sleep! I need to study all day tomorrow!  
  
Kano: [not sorry any more] Sorry. [looks down towards the end of the   
bed; remembers something, looks to her left, freaks] My arm! Oh my God!   
Where's my arm?  
  
Yukino: [off camera; mumbling in her sleep] Must...take...test...  
  
Tsukino: [unsympathetic] You're lying on it, stupid.  
  
Kano: [looking to her left] Oh. Right. [sits up; her left arm, clearly   
asleep, hangs uselessly by her side] I hate when that happens. [stands   
up, using her good right arm to lift herself up, and moves off camera]  
  
Tsukino: Where are you going?  
  
[Cut to Kano at the door of the room, which she has opened with her   
good hand.]  
  
Kano: The bathroom. [pins-and-needles finally hit her left arm; she   
grimaces absurdly] Ack!  
  
[Cut to a shot of the tap of a bathroom sink, at first running. The   
water is shut off.]  
  
[Cut to Kano in her pajamas, staring at her reflection in the bathroom   
mirror; she apparently was splashing her face, as some drops of water   
are dripping from her chin.]  
  
Kano: [thinking] That was the weirdest dream ever.  
  
[Cut to the upstairs corridor of the Miyazawa house, outside the   
bathroom door. The light coming from inside is shut off. Kano emerges,   
and starts to pad back down the hall to the bedroom.]  
  
[Cut to the side wall of the corridor. Standing there are the Arima   
figure and, to his right, the Yukino figure, clad--and glowing--as in   
Kano's dream. They watch Kano as she passes from left to right on her   
way down the hall. Kano does not notice them.]  
  
Arima: [looking off camera right; blushing] Was that necessary?  
  
Yukino: [looking off camera right; thoughtful] Perhaps inevitable.   
[looks at him, a slight smile; softly teasing] Do you regret it?  
  
[The Arima figure looks most unnerved, and starts looking for escape   
routes. In the process, he seems to notice the camera. Apparently   
relieved, he splutters and bows politely towards it.]  
  
Arima: Good evening.  
  
[The Yukino figure looks towards the camera, perhaps to see what the   
Arima figure is talking about. She acknowledges it and bows low, still   
smiling.]  
  
Yukino: And now for something completely different.  
  
--  
  
[BGM: Suitably dramatic and stirring martial-sounding music.]  
  
[File footage of the Tokyo skyline, complete with Tokyo Tower.]  
  
Narrator: [preferably male, authoritative-sounding, suitably   
"documentary"] In the year 2001 AD the Japanese Empire lay in ruins.   
The bursting of the bubble economy had resulted in record unemployment,   
in turn leading to an increase in juvenile delinquency and petty crime.   
Foreigners roamed the streets, many of them from Montreal, Quebec.   
  
[File footage from somewhere official in Washington, DC. It might be of   
President George W. Bush on Inauguration Day.]  
  
Narrator: In the United States of America, President George W. Bush   
assumed power with much doubt cast on his credibility as a people's   
tribune. In a close election, he had received slightly less than a   
plurality of the vote, but had still won owing to technicalities in the   
US presidential election process. Moreover, the bursting of the   
Internet bubble had slammed the brakes on an unprecedented global   
economic expansion, adding further uncertainty to the future of America   
and the world at this time of transition.  
  
[File footage of the Olympic Stadium in Montreal.]  
  
Narrator: In Quebec, the resignation of the provincial premier, the   
moderate nationalist Lucien Bouchard, and his imminent replacement by   
the harder-line Bernard Landry, cast uncertainty onto the political   
future of the separatist Parti québécois, and, by implication, that of   
the province of Quebec and of Canada itself.   
  
In short, it was an era of chaos.  
  
[Footage ad lib. from the _Kareshi Kanojo no Jijo_ ("His and Her   
Circumstances") TV series.]  
  
Narrator: Meanwhile, in the months leading up to these events, 15-year-  
old Yukino Miyazawa, a young woman of humble origins, was the   
undisputed queen of the first-year class at Hokuei Prefectural High   
School, located in the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa prefecture, not far   
from Tokyo. She impressed all who met her with her excellent scholastic   
performance, her beauty and her grace. However, Miyazawa's public image   
was a mere façade covering up a vain, lazy, self-centered interior,   
specifically designed to earn the public acclaim she so desperately   
craved.  
  
However, much to her chagrin, Miyazawa's "debut" at Hokuei High was   
overshadowed by the enrollment of one Soichiro Arima, a young man from   
a wealthy family of doctors tracing itself back to the Tokugawa   
Shogunate, whose intellect, handsome appearance and breeding, not to   
mention his athletic abilities, easily made him Miyazawa's peer.  
  
However, in an incident that need not concern us here, Arima saw   
Miyazawa's public image, among other things, shattered before his eyes.   
The consequence of this was that Arima became the first outside the   
Miyazawa family to know the true personality of Yukino Miyazawa. For   
her part Miyazawa was the first that Arima trusted with the knowledge   
of his struggle to rise above the shameful circumstances of his birth.  
  
The two made a pledge to abandon their public images and express their   
true natures to the world at large. In the process of making this   
change in their lives, they became close friends, then somewhat more   
than close friends, to being _kareshi to kanojo_ ("boyfriend and   
girlfriend"). What commonly follows this was perhaps only a matter of   
time.  
  
[Still of the Arima house.]   
  
Narrator: The process was not without incident.  
  
[Close up of the front gate of the Arima house. A brand-new plaque on   
the side says TAKESHI ARIMA, M.D., CARDIOLOGIST.]  
  
Narrator: In December 2000, for example, it fell to Arima to ask   
Miyazawa for their first Christmas date, which for obvious reasons, and   
not so obvious reasons that need not concern us here, she happily   
accepted. Without either of them intending it, the events of this   
Christmas date contributed to the decision at the New Year of Soichiro   
Arima's father, Takeshi Arima, M.D., to disown the rest of his family,   
who had, for various reasons, long opposed his decision to adopt   
Soichiro. In a related act Dr. Arima renounced all claim to the local   
hospital which he had inherited from his own father.   
  
[Still of a medium-sized Japanese city hospital.]  
  
Narrator: Dr. Arima's sudden decision to return to private practice   
caused a stir in the medical community of Kawasaki, and led to rapid   
changes therein. These included a re-organization and downsizing in the   
Kawasaki city hospital, whose effects on the hospital's quality of care   
and reputation would be highly uncertain, regardless of the immediate   
improvements to the hospital's finances.   
  
[File footage of Valentine's Day candy in various confectionery   
stores.]  
  
Narrator: This is how matters stood in February of 2001. The 2000-01   
academic year, which had begun in April, would soon be over, and the   
entrance examinations for Hokuei High and other local high schools were   
rapidly approaching. Also quickly approaching was St. Valentine's Day.   
In Japan, for reasons beyond the scope of this story, it is the custom   
for women, rather than men, to give gifts to their acquaintances of the   
other gender, usually of chocolate, with more elaborate ones given to   
their true objects of affection. The men, at least in principle, are to   
return the favor on "White Day," a month later on March 14.  
  
However, Soichiro Arima was not fond of chocolate, having been deluged   
with it for several St. Valentine's Days in the past, and now that he   
had been spoken for was looking forward to not receiving any. To that   
end, he had discouraged Yukino Miyazawa from buying him any chocolate.   
Miyazawa for her part was overjoyed, being excused from the necessity   
of buying any.  
  
Godspeed, Yukino Miyazawa. Godspeed, Soichiro Arima. The world is at   
your command, if you so will.  
  
--  
  
[Cut to the ceiling in the bedroom of the Miyazawa daughters. The main   
light is switched off, but is just visible in the dim light.]  
  
Tsukino: [off; whining more loudly than before] KANO! Stop talking in   
your sleep, already!  
  
[Cut to a close up of Kano's head, poking out from under the futon. She   
has apparently just woken up from a dream. Her left hand is tucked   
under her head.]  
  
Kano: [aloud] Okay, now _that_ took the cake.  
  
--  
Les perce-neiges de février/The Snowdrops of February  
--  
A _Kareshi Kanojo no Jijo_ ("Karekano") fanfic by Paul Corrigan  
--  
_Karekano_ concept devised by Masami Tsuda  
--  
For Amelia  
Mon propre petit ange  
--  
  
[Cut to a still of an ordinary Japanese junior high school.]  
  
[Caption: SOUTH SHIRAKAWA PUBLIC SCHOOL]  
  
[Still of a corridor inside the building.]  
  
[SFX: A bell rings to dismiss classes.]  
  
[Close up on a classroom sign reading 2-C.]  
  
Teacher: [male; off, from inside the classroom] Well, that's it for   
today.  
  
Class rep: [female; off] Stand. [beat] Bow.   
  
Teacher: [off] Enjoy your lunches. Good afternoon.  
  
Students: [wishing him well _ad lib._] Yes, sir...Thank you, sir...Good   
afternoon, sir...  
  
[SFX: Students are heard leaving their seats.]  
  
[Still of the scene inside the classroom. Students are eating their   
lunch, or are standing around at each other's desks conversing, or are   
reading comics, or are studying for the next class, and thus and so   
forth.]  
  
[Cut to front view of Kano Miyazawa, sitting at her desk clad in her   
winter uniform, her boxed lunch in front of her. She appears lost in   
thought. The desks immediately next to her are mostly empty.]  
  
[Close up on the boxed lunch. It is untouched.]  
  
[Close up on Kano's left profile.]  
  
Kano: [thinking] What to do...  
  
[Still of Megumi Sadamoto, a girl of about Kano's age and height,   
tomboyish, with messy black hair, clad in a uniform identical to Kano's   
and apparently standing next to Kano's desk. She has a blue folder in   
one hand, with a white fleur-de-lis on the front. Her expression is   
enthusiastic.]  
  
Megumi: [VO] Hi, Kano. Can I sit down?  
  
[Still of Kano, looking up to acknowledge Megumi; she is pleased to see   
her.]  
  
Kano: [VO] Oh, hi, Meg. Sure, grab a seat.  
  
[Still of Megumi, perched on the side of an empty desk, the folder on   
her lap, apparently looking around the room for something but not   
finding it.]  
  
Megumi: [VO] Isn't Yurika here?  
  
[Still of Kano, looking away from Megumi, with a rather peeved   
expression on her face.]  
  
Kano: [VO] She went to visit Tsukino. _Again._  
  
[Still of Megumi, her hand covering her mouth to stifle a giggle.]  
  
Megumi: [VO] Are you jealous?  
  
[Still of Kano, her arms folded, looking grumpy.]  
  
Kano: [VO] Why? Can't help it if she thinks my sister's cooler than I   
am.  
  
[Still of Megumi, holding out the folder, as if to pass it to Kano.]  
  
Megumi: [VO; disappointed] That's too bad. I wanted you both to tell me   
what you thought of this.  
  
[Still of Kano, taking the folder from Megumi.]  
  
Kano: [VO; expository] Hi. I'm Kano Miyazawa. I'm fourteen years old.   
I'll soon be finished my second year of junior high school at South   
Shirakawa Public School in Kawasaki, Kanagawa prefecture.  
  
[Still of Megumi, looking expectant.]  
  
Kano: [VO] This is Megumi Sadamoto. She's in class 2-D. I'm actually in   
class 2-C, but Megumi visits all the time.  
  
[Stock still of Yurika Anami, a girl similar in appearance and build to   
Tsukino Miyazawa, although slightly taller and with slightly shorter   
hair. She is standing at the left of the screen, in front of and facing   
Tsukino Miyazawa herself. Yurika's hands are clasped in supplication;   
Tsukino looks apprehensive.]  
  
[Captions underneath:  
Left: YURIKA ANAMI, AGE 14  
Right: TSUKINO MIYAZAWA, AGE 15]  
  
Yurika: [VO] Please be my _onesan_...!  
  
Tsukino: [VO] Kano, save me...!  
  
Kano: [VO; expository] My other friend Yurika is in my class, but she   
has an enormous crush on my sister Tsukino, so she goes to see her   
every lunchtime. Tsukino acts embarrassed, but I think she really likes   
her back.  
  
[Still of Tsukino at the desk in the Miyazawa girls' room, surrounded   
by textbooks, trying to study while Kano tries to pull her away.]  
  
Kano: [VO; to Tsukino, whining] Tsukino, I wanna play...  
  
Tsukino: [VO] Not now! I've got to study!  
  
[Still of Tsukino, Yurika, Kano and Megumi, apparently heading home   
from school. Tsukino is making as if to part company with Kano.]  
  
Kano: [VO; to Tsukino] You're not going home again?  
  
Tsukino: [VO] Got to go to the library and study. Tell Mom not to hold   
dinner.  
  
Yurika: [VO] I'm coming too!  
  
Kano: [VO; expository] Tsukino hasn't been that sociable with me   
lately, what with her studying so much for high school entrance exams.   
Yurika probably sees more of Tsukino than me nowadays. She won't take   
no for an answer.   
  
[Close up of Kano reclining back in her chair, looking thoughtful.]  
  
Kano: [VO] I can't blame her. In February all young women's thoughts   
turn to love. However, I like to think I am more mature than my big   
sister in these matters. A woman of the world, if you will. Certainly   
the object of my affection is of a more mature sort.  
  
[Still of Hideaki Asaba, in his summer uniform, looking suitably tanned   
and beautiful. He is chatting and laughing with someone off camera; it   
might be in the girl's room at the Miyazawa house.]  
  
Kano: [VO] Hideaki Asaba. Age 16, first year at Hokuei Prefectural High   
School.   
  
[Still of various Hideaki Asaba Dinner Show promotional materials,   
picturing Asaba in various glamorous and/or provocative outfits and   
poses. One is clearly a gay porn fan comic featuring Asaba and Soichiro   
Arima.]   
  
Kano: [VO] Late of the Hideaki Asaba Dinner Show at Hokuei High's   
cultural festival in autumn.   
  
[Still of the band of Kazuma Shibahime, Tsubasa Shibahime's   
stepbrother, performing in concert at Hokuei High.]   
  
Kano: [VO] It failed to win first prize, which went to a late entry by   
students apparently from another school...  
  
[Still of two groups of protesting students. One group at the left   
holds banners, reading ASABA WAS ROBBED. Another group at the right   
holds banners, reading GET OVER IT. Tsubasa is the apparent ringleader   
of the group at the right.]  
  
Kano: [VO] ...a controversial development widely protested by girls at   
many area schools.   
  
[Still of Asaba seated, roses in the background, his shirt off, showing   
off his beautiful pectoral muscles. He is running his left hand through   
his hair and has a come-hither look on his face.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] You know you want me.  
  
Kano: [VO] He is widely regarded as being God's Gift to Females.  
  
[Stock still of Asaba, on the right, and Yukino Miyazawa, on the left,   
in the girl's room at the Miyazawas, laughing and talking about nothing   
in particular. Yukino is petting Peropero.]  
  
Kano: [VO] I happen to have met and to know Hideaki Asaba personally,   
as he is a classmate of my eldest sister Yukino. So, in a real sense, I   
am on the inside track to gaining Hideaki Asaba's affections.  
  
[Close up on Yukino's laughing face.]  
  
Yukino: Fortunately Yukino is not a serious competitor for those   
affections herself, this shot notwithstanding. She's actually dating   
Soichiro Arima.  
  
[Still of a close up on Arima's face, which bears a friendly smile.]  
  
Arima: [VO] Hi.  
  
Kano: [VO] Arima is widely regarded as being God's Other Gift to   
Females. Their precise ranking has not been determined.  
  
[Still of Kano and Peropero at a long table, inspecting what appear to   
be paper punch-card ballots. Behind them is a blackboard, divided in   
half with marks for S. ARIMA on the left and marks for H. ASABA on the   
right. It's not clear who's in the lead.]  
  
[Caption: DON'T BLAME THE AUTHOR, HE VOTED IN MICHIGAN]  
  
Kano: [VO] A precise ranking may well be impossible. These things are   
partly a matter of opinion.  
  
[Still of Arima (on left) and Yukino (on right) posing glamorously in   
their winter uniforms. There might be cherry blossoms in the   
background.]  
  
Kano: [VO] However, nobody disputes that Arima and my sister make a   
good couple, nor that they're the king and queen of the social world of   
Hokuei High.  
  
[Still of Arima and Yukino, blushing like mad, moving in for a kiss in   
a terribly romantic fashion. Now there are definitely cherry blossoms   
in the background.]  
  
Kano: [VO] I also concede that Yukino has had more experience in the   
practical arts of romance...  
  
[Still of Peropero sniffing a snowdrop.]  
  
[Caption above, in cheerfully colored crayon: EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL   
DIFFICULTIES, PLEASE STAND BY]  
  
[Caption below, in black type: THE AUTHOR ALSO DOES NOT WRITE LEMONS]  
  
Kano: [VO] ...though I'm not at liberty to say how I know that.  
  
[Caption below, replacing the other: HOWEVER, HE PLEADS GUILTY TO   
READING THEM NOW AND AGAIN, IF THEY DO NOT SUCK]  
  
Kano: [VO] However, the hard fact is she had a head start.  
  
[Still of the Miyazawa sisters standing on a medal winners' platform,   
the kind seen at the Olympics. Yukino stands on the number one post in   
the center, wearing a gold medal (and darned proud of it too); Tsukino   
stands at the number two post on the right, wearing the silver (with a   
neutral expression); Kano stands on the left at the number three spot   
(grumbling silently).]  
  
Kano: [VO] She is, after all, the eldest sister. At any rate, age is no   
measure of maturity.  
  
[Stock still of Mr. Miyazawa freaking out about God knows what, with   
Mrs. Miyazawa sweatdropping at his side.]  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [VO; foaming at the mouth] Shotgun! Where's the shotgun?  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [VO; nervous] Is the shotgun really necessary, dear?   
  
Kano: [VO] Our father is clear proof of that. He always seemed like a   
kid brother to me and my sisters, not so much like a father figure as   
most children had.  
  
[Still of Yukino in her ratty old sweatsuit, sitting on the couch and   
watching TV. Tsukino and Kano are behind the couch, protesting.]  
  
Kano: [VO; to Yukino, whining] Sis...! I wanted to watch the news...!  
  
Yukino: [VO; snickering] Tough. An all new _Terrance and Phillip_'s on.   
Deal.  
  
Kano: [VO; expository] At any rate, Yukino has never struck me as   
particularly mature.  
  
[Still of Yukino in her winter Hokuei High uniform from the bad old   
days of the Queen of Fake, surrounded by sycophants whom she favors   
with a condescending smile.]  
  
Kano: [VO] She maintained a façade of maturity outside the home, of   
course...  
  
[Cue stock footage of Yukino making a fool of herself in public after   
her relationship with Arima began in earnest. Ideal would be the scene   
from episode 10 of her chase of Tsubasa Shibahime through the halls of   
Hokuei High in her absurdly exaggerated Hell-Hath-No-Fury-Than-A-Woman-  
Scorned persona, which for all its silliness put the terror of God into   
Tsubasa and all other witnesses of the event.]  
  
Kano: [VO] ...but much of that was abandoned after she started dating   
Arima.  
  
[Still of Arima, in "normal" form, looking suitably handsome and   
mature, giving a noogie to a "super-deformed" childish-looking   
caricature of Yukino.]  
  
Kano: [VO] Arima does seem much more mature than Dad, in a big brother   
sort of way. I sometimes think my sister sees him as a big brother or a   
father figure, an authoritative figure of the sort Dad never was...  
  
Yukino: [VO; little-girl voice] I love you, hunny-bunny...  
  
Arima: [VO; fatherly] You're a good girl, Miyazawa...  
  
[Still of Kano, clad in a tweed jacket and seated at a luxurious desk,   
the kind owned by Oxford professors in period British dramas, a   
bookcase lined with books and journals behind her.]  
  
Kano: [VO] My own personal experience with romance has been somewhat   
limited in scope; however, my theoretical knowledge, I think, is far   
superior.  
  
[Close up on the books. Serious works from the romantic literature of   
many countries are mixed in with volumes of compilations of romance   
comics; the "journals" are actually copies of girl's comic   
anthologies.]  
  
Kano: [VO] I have consumed every serious work on romance and love that   
I could get my hands on, from antiquity to the present day, from the   
poems of Sappho to the _Sovereignty-Associationist Girl Nanami_ comic.   
I have read of love in all of history's social, cultural, and political   
contexts.  
  
[Shot of Kano, standing in her school uniform, alone in a crowd of   
faceless boy-girl couples that moves around her.]  
  
Kano: [VO] Alas, I have never known the real thing myself.  
  
[Still of a close up of Kano and Megumi in profile, facing each other,   
blushing and making as if to kiss.]  
  
[Caption: THIS ONLY HAPPENED IN KANO'S IMAGINATION]  
  
Kano: [VO] For a while I thought Megumi liked me.  
  
[Still of Kano and Megumi in their summer uniforms, standing before   
each other in the school yard, laughing their heads off.]  
  
Kano: [VO] That turned out to be a big misunderstanding...  
  
[Still of Tsukino and Yurika in their summer uniforms, looking on from   
an alley between some school buildings.]  
  
Kano: [VO; peeved] ...perpetrated by Tsukino.  
  
[Still of Yurika pleading to Tsukino that Tsukino might be her   
_onesan_, in exactly the same spot.]  
  
Kano: [VO] However, Tsukino got hers...sort of...  
  
[Still of Kano and Megumi looking on from the alley.]  
  
Kano: [VO] ...and I made a good friend.  
  
[Still of Kano and Megumi posing together in their winter school   
uniforms, grinning and making "V" victory signs.]  
  
Kano: [VO] Turns out we had a lot in common. She even likes _Nanami_.   
But even so we're just friends.   
  
[Close up of Arima's friendly, smiling face.]  
  
Kano: [VO] In any case, my wide reading, I like to think, has refined   
my tastes in men. Arima's charm is that of an older brother, which is   
fine, if you're into that sort of thing. It might be a sign of   
immaturity, though.  
  
[Close up of Asaba's glamorous, smiling face.]  
  
Kano: [VO] Hideaki Asaba, on the other hand...  
  
[Pencil sketch of Kano at her desk, without pen or ink, or for that   
matter, any facial characteristics drawn in. Where her face should be,   
however, a blush slowly but surely appears.]  
  
[SFX: A kettle whistles loudly.]  
  
Kano: [VO; giggles in that creepy way only she can do] ...well, if you   
have to ask, you're too young to get an answer...  
  
Megumi: [VO; irritated] Kano! Are you talking to yourself again?  
  
[Cut back to the classroom, fully inked. Kano blinks at Megumi.]  
  
Kano: Oh. Sorry about that. Comic. Right.  
  
[Close up of a page from a _Sovereignty-Associationist Girl Nanami_ fan   
comic, penciled but not inked. On the page is someone resembling Nanami   
Kiryu from _Revolutionary Girl Utena_, clad in what should be her   
Student Council uniform except for the fleur-de-lys emblazoned on the   
breast pocket. She is standing behind a lectern, making what must be a   
stirring speech, as there are tears in her eyes. However, there is as   
yet nothing in the speech bubble, so it's hard to say what it is.]  
  
[Closeup on another page. Nanami walks off into the sunset, a flurry of   
lily petals marking her departure. Another speech bubble awaits a   
fitting final turn of phrase.]  
  
Kano: [VO] I didn't know you drew comics, Megumi.  
  
[Cut to a front view of Kano at her desk, looking at the drawings,   
while Megumi looks over her shoulder to gauge her reaction.]  
  
Megumi: Well, I don't know if they're any good...  
  
Kano: [looking up to Megumi, approvingly] These are cool! Have you   
shown them to anyone else?  
  
Megumi: [pensive] Well, I actually tried showing them to Mrs. Yoshida,   
the art teacher, but she was like, "I already know how Papino draws,   
I'd rather see how you draw." So I figured I'd get a second opinion.  
  
Kano: [getting in Megumi's face; clasping her hands, a pleading look on   
her face] Please. I'm begging. You gotta do more.  
  
Megumi: [sweatdropping] I'm not even done with this one yet! [looks   
away] Besides, I'm okay at drawing I guess, but I'm no good at dialogue   
or stories or stuff...I'm no Ayaki Sawai, you know...  
  
Kano: [level, narrowing her eyes] Listen. Nobody is Ayaki Sawai. Ayaki   
Sawai is God. Repeat after me...  
  
Megumi: That's not the point! I mean, I don't know what Nanami should   
say in her speech resigning as Engaged One or anything. I could do   
more, but I don't know where I should go with it or anything.  
  
Kano: [looking at the sheets] Well, it is kind of final. Is she going   
to come back, or...?  
  
Megumi: I dunno. [leans on a desk, looks up at the ceiling] I mean, I   
could bring her back, but what would she do? My whole point was she   
hadn't been able to successfully fight a Référendum duel, so she had to   
go. If she came back, she'd eventually have to fight a Référendum duel,   
and she'd have to lose, so what'd be the point? I mean, there were two   
Référendum duels in the TV series as it was. What's the point of a   
third?  
  
Kano: No, duh! She wouldn't have to win. Don't you see? The whole point   
of _Nanami_'s not actually getting sovereignty-association, it's the   
struggle! The romance! The inscrutable allusions to hockey!  
  
Megumi: [smiling, apparently reassured] Yeah. Though I don't know   
enough about hockey to fake those too well.   
  
[Megumi takes a seat at an empty desk, reclines in it, shuts her eyes   
and sighs. Close up on her left profile.]   
  
Megumi: [off in a dream world] Oh, I'd love to go to Quebec, just once,   
just to see everything I read about in _Nanami_. See the Habs play...  
  
Kano: [off; freaking out] Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god...  
  
[Megumi turns to her right (towards the camera) to face Kano.]  
  
Megumi: [snapping out of it] What?  
  
[Shot of Kano's head and shoulders; she has turned towards Megumi.]  
  
Kano: Did you hear they got sold?  
  
[Cut back to Megumi, looking thunderstruck.]  
  
Megumi: [snapping out of her daze] What? They _were_?  
  
[Cut back to Kano, looking apologetic.]  
  
Kano: [breaking the bad news] Yipper. Molson sold the Canadiens.   
Thought it was time you knew.  
  
Megumi: [beginning to freak] No way! They can't do that!  
  
Kano: [off] Well, they did. Just, like, a few weeks ago.  
  
Megumi: To who?  
  
Kano: [off] Some American guy.  
  
[Megumi looks upset.]  
  
Megumi: [genuinely horrified] Oh God. Quebec's supposed to leave   
Canada, the Canadiens aren't supposed to leave Quebec!  
  
[Cut back to Kano, looking a little worried for Megumi.]  
  
Kano: [trying to console her] Look, apparently he's not allowed move   
the team. Besides, even if he does, you can still see other stuff,   
right? Like the Château de Frontenac...  
  
[Cut back to Megumi. She seems reassured; she turns back towards the   
ceiling, a reflective expression.]  
  
Megumi: I saw a picture of the Château in my sister's French textbook.  
  
[Cut back to Kano, whose ears have pricked up.]  
  
Kano: [definitely interested] Your sis takes French?  
  
Megumi: Yeah. They offer three years' worth at St. Francis Xavier.  
  
[Cut to a shot of a classroom impossibly overcrowded by _Sovereignty-  
Associationist Girl Nanami_ fangirls, bearing all manner of _Nanami_   
merchandise (and a few dressed as their favorite characters from the   
show). They have forced a middle-aged white woman with dark hair and   
spectacles--presumably the French teacher--into the wall by sheer   
numbers.]  
  
[Caption: RE-ENACTMENT]  
  
Megumi: [VO] Apparently the year they started showing _Nanami_ the   
enrollment in French tripled.  
  
Fangirls: [ecstatic in their fandom] VIVE MAM'SELLE NANAMI!  
  
Teacher: [venting a terrible oath _en québécois_] Tabernac!  
  
[Cut back to the classroom. Megumi holds a page in her hand, and is   
pointing something out to Kano.]  
  
Megumi: So anyway, she helped me think up French titles for my stories.   
Like this one. _Mais où sont les neiges d'antan?_ "But Where Are The   
Snows of Years Past?" I think it's a poem. I even got a small French   
dictionary, so I could look up some words on my own.  
  
Kano: Cool. So like, do you think you'll take French?  
  
Megumi: [pensive] Hm. I dunno. St. Francis Xavier is great, but...  
  
Kano: But what?  
  
Megumi: It's all girls, so I won't get to meet many boys outside of   
school, and it's tough so I won't have a lot of time to go out...   
[reminded of something] Wait! Now I know what I meant to ask you.   
What are you doing for Valentine's?  
  
Kano: [goofy grin, creepy voice] Ooh! I'd rather not say just yet...  
  
Megumi: [puzzled] Why not? Is it embarrassing?  
  
Kano: Not as such, I'd just rather know what the competition is up to   
first...  
  
Megumi: [sweatdropping] Uh-huh. [recovering] Hm. I dunno myself.   
There's a guy in 3-C who's pretty cute. I might try giving him some   
chocolate...  
  
Kano: [unimpressed] Just "a guy?"  
  
Megumi: [defensive] Yeah, a guy. Nobody you know. Why?  
  
[Kano starts to laugh creepily, and makes sure it is a very good and   
very creepy laugh. Megumi starts to sweatdrop like mad.]  
  
Kano: [_really_ creepy] Oh, Megumi, darling, you've set your sights so   
low. Such low expectations won't get you far in life...  
  
Megumi: [clearly disturbed] Uh-huh...what makes you say that?   
  
[Kano rises from her seat. A tsunami breaks behind her.]  
  
Kano: [triumphantly] I plan to reach for the stars!  
  
Megumi: [laughing nervously] Heh heh...yeah. So...who are you going to   
give chocolate to? Anyone I know?  
  
Kano: [looking towards her, a superior look on her face] Only the great   
Hideaki Asaba of Hokuei High!  
  
Megumi: [wide eyes] Are you crazy? Why do you wanna give him chocolate?   
Why don't you just send Brad Pitt chocolates in the mail?  
  
Kano: [wagging her finger] Now, now. This isn't completely unrealistic.   
You see, _I_ just happen to know him _personally_.  
  
[Pan out to a panoramic view of the room. Every girl's ear pricks up.   
In an instant they are all upon Kano, screaming with delight at the   
chance to know greatness at least second hand, and demanding to know   
the scoop. The boys are not amused.]  
  
[Cut to Kano, back in her seat, surrounded by adoring fangirls, and   
Megumi, struggling not to be crushed in her seat.]  
  
Fangirls [gushing ad lib.]: Oh my God! You actually know him?  
Can I touch you?  
I have his Dinner Show comic with Arima!  
What's he like?  
Is he as cute in real life as in the photos?  
Could you get me his autograph?  
Can I have _your_ autograph?  
Do you know his likes and dislikes?  
How about his phone number?  
  
Kano: [calmly, with much false modesty] Now, now. One at a time,   
please.  
  
Megumi: [a skeptical look, hard to pull when you're being crushed] How   
do you know Hideaki Asaba?  
  
Kano: [exaggerating for the sake of her audience] Oh, that. Asaba's a   
_very_ good friend of the family. Comes over all the time.  
  
[Cue ecstatic screaming from the fangirls. One suddenly steps forward.]  
  
Random Fangirl: [not at all amused] Miyazawa! You do know Hideaki Asaba   
belongs to all girls, right?  
  
Kano: [waving her off] Have no fear. As of right now we're just good   
friends. Of course I intend to change that on the 14th...  
  
Fangirl: [sniffing] I'd like to see you try it!  
  
Kano: I'm on the inside track. Shouldn't be hard.  
  
[Megumi finally gets free of the fangirls, stands beside Kano.]  
  
Megumi: You know, she has a point. How are you going to turn Asaba's   
head just with chocolate? Do you have any idea how much chocolate he's   
likely to get? A box of chocolates and 500 yen'll get you a cup of   
coffee from the likes of him. I mean, he has his choice of girls,   
right?  
  
[Cut to a super-deformed Asaba separating boxes of chocolate into two   
piles, BABE on his right, SKANK on his left. Both piles are large, but   
SKANK dwarfs BABE by any reasonable standard.]  
  
Kano: [VO; confident] Give me more credit than that. Just chocolate   
won't work. Never does, you know. Even the best chocolates money can   
buy, though of course I fully intend to spare no expense.  
  
[Cut back to Megumi and Kano.]  
  
Megumi: So what will you do?  
  
Kano: Only write him the most beautiful love poem known to man, to   
express my love for him, so he can't possibly resist.  
  
[Cut to Kano and Asaba standing in a field of roses, where Asaba is   
reading what is presumably Kano's poem.]  
  
[CAPTION: DRAMATIZATION]  
  
Asaba: Ah! What eloquence! How can I possibly refuse you?  
  
Kano: [puckering up] Kiss me you fool!  
  
[They embrace.]  
  
Asaba: Oh Kano...  
  
Kano: [breathily] Oh Asaba...  
  
[Cut back to the real Kano's face, grinning at her own brilliance.]  
  
Kano: [creepy again] That's what will happen! I call it "Operation:   
Eek! Hideaki Asaba Is a Hopeless Romantic Who'll Be Bowled Over by the   
Force of My Love Poetry!"  
  
[Close up of Kano clasping Megumi's hands in hers.]  
  
[Shot of Kano standing in front of Megumi, looking expectant.]  
  
Kano: But it'll be even better if it has a few French words in it to   
make it even more romantic...  
  
Megumi: [skeptical; narrow eyes] Does Asaba understand French?  
  
Kano: [unshakable] That's beside the point. [begging] Pleeeese...  
  
Megumi: [flatly] No.  
  
Kano: [eyes watering] What about our friendship? I need your help! I   
mean, I'm no Ayaki Sawai...  
  
Megumi: [imitating Kano] Listen. Nobody is Ayaki Sawai. Ayaki Sawai is   
God. Repeat after me...  
  
Kano:  
[in unison] Nobody is Ayaki Sawai. Ayaki Sawai is God.  
Megumi:  
  
Megumi: [smirking] Good girl.  
  
Kano: [whining] You're mean.  
  
[SFX: The bell rings.]  
  
Megumi: [extracts herself from Kano's grip] Gotta go. Good luck.  
  
[Kano pouts.]  
  
[Cut to a bird's eye view of the classroom after lunch. Everyone is   
back at their desks taking notes. The teacher is not visible on camera;   
we hear her reading something in English from just off screen. It's not   
with a Japanese accent, either, though just what accent is not   
immediately clear.]  
  
[Close up on a view of Kano at her desk from above, writing something   
in Japanese in her notebook, presumably not notes on the assignment.]  
  
Kano: [VO] I thought it true, though, that if one did one's best, one   
could not possibly fail. This is what Rosa Jung-Freud, the Red Rose of   
Leningrad, had taught me by her example. I took issue with her   
interpretation of Marxism, but that much I accepted.  
  
[Cut to a front view of Kano at her desk. She writes a few words,   
thinks a moment, crosses them out, writes some more, crosses those out,   
looks frustrated, writes some more.]  
  
Kano: [VO] I like to think I'm an easy-going person. Some have   
interpreted this as "laziness." But that's not true. I'm a Miyazawa.   
I'm easy-going, but I give my all to whatever I'm doing. In other   
words, I do my best.  
  
[Kano crosses out her writing again, grits her teeth, starts again.]  
  
Kano: [VO] So when I can't do something, despite my best efforts, I get   
a little upset.  
  
[Kano finishes writing a couple of lines, looks at them, smiles, looks   
at them again, stops smiling, gets in a rage, pulls at her hair.]  
  
Kano: [aloud] No, no, no! This is totally stupid!  
  
Teacher: [off; female, contralto, an accent that is almost French, but   
somewhat more nasal] Miss Miyazawa?  
  
[Kano looks up. Cut to a shot of the head and torso of the English   
teacher. It just happens to be the French teacher from the re-enactment   
of the scene in the French class at St. Francis Xavier's.]  
  
Teacher: Can you tell me what is the indirect object in the sentence "I   
went to the store this afternoon?"  
  
[Caption off to teacher's left: ODETTE THIBODEAUX, NÉE JOHNSON. BORN   
1960.6.22 IN QUEBEC CITY. CAME TO JAPAN IN 1985 WITH HUSBAND.]  
  
Mrs. Thibodeaux: Or is my lecturing so dull that I was unable to keep   
your attention?  
  
[Caption, at Mrs. Thibodeaux's right: TEACHES FRENCH AT ST. FRANCIS   
XAVIER CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL IN KAWASAKI. BILINGUAL. MOONLIGHTS AS   
ENGLISH TEACHER AT SOUTH SHIRAKAWA PUBLIC SCHOOL.]  
  
[Shot of Kano's desk from front. Mrs. Thibodeaux is at her left   
(viewer's right), looking over Kano's shoulder at what she's been   
writing.]  
  
Kano: [looks down, blushing; ashamed] Sorry.  
  
Mrs. Thibodeaux: May I see what you have there? [takes the paper off   
Kano's desk] Clearly it's more interesting than what I'm talking about.   
Mind if I share it with the class?  
  
Kano: [panicking, waving her hands before her in warding] No! I mean   
yes! I mean, don't read it, please!  
  
Mrs. Thibodeaux: Go stand in the hall, Miss Miyazawa.  
  
[Cut to Kano in the hall outside the classroom, holding two buckets of   
water, one in each hand. She is scowling.]  
  
Kano: [thinking] I've never been so humiliated in my life.  
  
[SFX: Bell rings to dismiss class.]  
  
Class rep: [off, from inside the classroom] Stand. [beat] Bow.   
  
Mrs. Thibodeaux: [off, from inside] That's it for today. See you   
tomorrow.  
  
[SFX: General muttering from inside the room.]  
  
Mrs. Thibodeaux: [off, from Kano's left] Miss Miyazawa?  
  
[Kano looks to acknowledge Mrs. Thibodeaux. Mrs. Thibodeaux walks up to   
her, holds up a sheet of paper--Kano's "manuscript"--and reads it   
aloud, though only loud enough for Kano to hear.]  
  
Mrs. Thibodeaux: [lyric] The snowdrops of February  
Soon will blossom for all to see.  
I love you, Asaba,  
Won't you please kiss me?  
  
[Mrs. Thibodeaux holds the sheet out to Kano. Kano puts down the   
buckets and takes it.]  
  
Mrs. Thibodeaux: [prosaic, lecturing] If you're going to write such   
embarrassing things in my class, write them in English.  
  
Kano: [blushing] Sorry, ma'am. It won't happen again.  
  
Mrs. Thibodeaux: Glad to hear it. [off the cuff] Actually, you'd be   
even better off writing them in French. At least then I could help you   
improve. I can't write poems in English either.   
  
[She laughs conspiratorially, as if to reassure Kano. It seems to work,   
as Kano starts to laugh a bit too. After they compose themselves:]  
  
Kano: Say, ma'am--it's no big deal, but how come you speak English   
anyway?  
  
Mrs. Thibodeaux: The truth? I learned it to impress my husband. He   
didn't speak any French. [as if to declare discussion over] I should   
go. Back into class with you.  
  
Kano: [tentatively] Um, ma'am, one more thing...  
  
Mrs. Thibodeaux: [guarded] Not about my life story, I hope?  
  
Kano: No...how do you say "the snowdrops of February" in French anyway?  
  
[Mrs. Thibodeaux blinks.]  
  
Mrs. Thibodeaux: Oh. [thinks a moment] I used to know this myself.   
[chuckles] I've been away too long. Wait, now I remember. Let me see   
the sheet again.  
  
[Kano hands it to her. Mrs. Thibodeaux goes to the wall opposite and   
writes something below what Kano has written, then returns and hands it   
back to Kano, who looks at it.]  
  
[Close up on the page. Below Kano's writing in Japanese are the French   
words, in Latin characters:  
  
LES PERCE-NEIGES DE FÉVRIER  
  
with _perce-neiges_ underlined, and then again, in Japanese phonetic   
_katakana_ characters:  
  
rei pesu neji do heburiei]  
  
Mrs. Thibodeaux: [VO] "_Les perce-neiges de février_." In Japanese,   
literally, _perce-neige_ means "pierces snow." Why do you ask?  
  
[Cut back to Kano and Mrs. Thibodeaux. Mrs. Thibodeaux is now beside   
Kano at Kano's right (viewer's left).]  
  
Kano: [looking at the page; non-committal] Just wanted to know.  
  
Mrs. Thibodeaux: [starting in on a sales pitch] You know, you really   
should come to St. Francis Xavier's if you're interested in French...  
  
Kano: [politely cutting her off; still non-committal] I'll think about   
it.  
  
Mrs. Thibodeaux: [reminded of something] This is beside the point, but   
how is your sister Yukino?  
  
Kano: [looking up at Mrs. Thibodeaux] Fine, I guess. Why?  
  
Mrs. Thibodeaux: [a tad nostalgic] I tried to talk her into coming to   
St. Francis Xavier to study French, but she ended up going somewhere   
else...  
  
Kano: Hokuei High, ma'am.  
  
Mrs. Thibodeaux: Yes. What a pity. She was one of the best students I   
ever had in English. I'm sure she'd have done well in French as well.   
[a bit sternly, lecturing again] It helped that she worried about her   
grades and not about boys. You could learn from her example.  
  
[Kano hangs her head.]  
  
Kano: [dejected; just managing to stifle a groan] Yes'm.  
  
[Close up on Mrs. Thibodeaux's face.]  
  
Mrs. Thibodeaux: Me, I learned another language to impress a boy, but I   
don't recommend that to others. You'll have plenty of time for boys   
when you're older. When you're in school, worry about school. [smiles a   
bit, as if to cushion the blow] That said, good luck.   
  
[Cut back to view of Mrs. Thibodeaux and Kano in the corridor. Mrs.   
Thibodeaux coughs, straightens her glasses.]   
  
Mrs. Thibodeaux: Now, I really must go, or you'll be late to your next   
class, and I'll be late to mine. I've got to be at St. Francis Xavier   
in an hour. [starts to exit Kano's right; friendly tone] Goodbye now.  
  
[Exit Mrs. Thibodeaux. Kano does not move.]  
  
[Full screen shot of Kano hanging her head and looking miserable.]  
  
Kano: [to the floor more than to Mrs. Thibodeaux] Goodbye.  
  
[SFX: Bell rings to mark class in session.]  
  
Kano: [VO; reflective] I wonder when it was when people began comparing   
me to Yukino.   
  
[Black-and-white still of a very young Kano, perhaps at six or seven,   
in her elementary school uniform, and proud of it.]  
  
Kano: [VO] It might even have been kindergarten; I don't remember.   
Certainly by first grade.  
  
Grade-School Teacher: [female, young; VO; cooing] My! Are you Yukino's   
little sister?  
  
[Close up on young Kano's beaming face.]  
  
Young Kano: [VO] Uh-huh!  
  
[Still of young Kano, still beaming, in front of the silhouette of the   
grade school teacher, who stands before her.]  
  
Grade-School Teacher: [VO] You're as cute as she was in first grade!  
  
Young Kano: [VO] Thanks!  
  
Grade-School Teacher: [VO] She's such a good student! You must be   
really proud of your sister!  
  
Young Kano: [VO] Uh-huh!  
  
[Still of young Kano, still beaming, in front of the silhouette of the   
grade school teacher, who now is kneeling in front of her.]  
  
Grade-School Teacher: [VO] Now, you be a good student too, so she can   
be proud of you too, okay?  
  
Young Kano: [VO] 'k!  
  
Kano: [VO; expository] And I was too.  
  
[Still of super-deformed Yukino in her glasses and ratty old sweatsuit,   
on the couch laughing her head off at God knows what.]  
  
Kano: [VO] Of course, given what I knew about what Sis was really like,   
I really should have known better.   
  
[Still of the Miyazawas at the dinner table. SD Kano and SD Tsukino are   
laughing their heads off; it must be at some joke at SD Yukino's   
expense, because she's looking fearsome, gritting her teeth and   
flipping her sisters the finger. Peropero is in his place of honor on   
Kano's back.]  
  
Kano: [VO] And I did know better. So did Tsukino.  
  
[Still of a split-screen of the two Yukino Miyazawas. "Public" Yukino,   
the beautiful Queen of Fake in her winter South Shirakawa uniform, is   
to the left, a false friendly smile on her face. To the right is   
"private" Yukino, normal size, but again in her glasses and sweatsuit   
and looking positively gruesome.]  
  
Kano: [VO] Heaven knows the dichotomy between what Yukino was like at   
school and what she was like at home was a running gag in our house.  
  
[Black and white still of a corridor at South Shirakawa. In the   
background to the right is Yukino in her third year of middle school,   
in the winter uniform of South Shirakawa, walking to class, looking   
suitably queenly. She is being mobbed by first-years, girls Kano's age.  
In the foreground on the left Tsukino and Kano, in the same uniform,   
are snickering at the first-years' folly.]  
  
First-year Girls: [in unison; ecstatic] Miyazawa! You're our big   
sister!  
  
Kano: [VO; creepy] Be careful what you wish for...  
  
Tsukino: [VO; finishing the joke] ...you may get it!  
  
Kano: [VO; expository] But of course, nobody else knew any better, and   
we never told anyone otherwise. There was no point.  
  
[Black-and-white still of SD Yukino in her sweatsuit. Our full view of   
her is blocked by Tsukino, Kano, and Peropero, who stand in front of   
Yukino, dressed as Men in Black in black suits and black sunglasses,   
apparently waving away passers-by we cannot see.]  
  
Kano: [VO] You never saw a thing.  
  
Tsukino: [VO] You never saw us.  
  
Kano: [VO; expository] Part of it was a concern for the public image of   
the Miyazawa family, and in particular for its secrets. We were   
concerned for that as well, though maybe not as much as our sister.  
  
[Black-and-white still of Yukino standing before a class in her third   
year at South Shirakawa. She has apparently just finished a   
presentation on what might be a math problem. The teacher, or rather   
his silhouette, looks on, while the other students, themselves in   
silhouette, are taking notes.]  
  
Kano: [VO] The teachers, whatever we thought, thought the world of her.   
She really was one of the best students they'd ever had.  
  
[Full screen of Yukino's right profile, as she stands before the   
class.]  
  
Teacher: [VO] Excellent exposition, as always, Miss Miyazawa...  
  
[Still of a wall in some classroom at South Shirakawa. A picture of   
Yukino in her South Shirakawa uniform dominates the wall, much as walls   
of classrooms are often graced with framed pictures of national heroes,   
especially in authoritarian states. Her pose is very much a   
statesman's, too; she is seated, her posture impeccable, a serious   
expression on her face.]  
  
Kano: [VO] She was held up as an example to everyone, including us.   
  
[Still of some posted test results. Yukino Miyazawa has placed first.]  
  
Kano: [VO] And who was I to dispute that? Anyone'd be proud.  
  
[Color still of Kano in a T-shirt that reads on the front 100%   
MIYAZAWA. She clearly wears it with pride.]  
  
Kano: [VO] It _was_ kind of cool being Yukino's little sister.  
  
[Still of a back view of Kano. The back of the shirt reads:  
NONE GENUINE WITHOUT THIS SIGNATURE  
(signed) YUKINO MIYAZAWA]  
  
Kano: [VO] If you came with the Miyazawa brand name, teachers thought   
highly of you from the word go, and that meant you got treated a little   
nicer.  
  
[Black and white still of Kano happily chatting with Mrs. Thibodeaux.]  
  
[Caption: RE-ENACTMENT]  
  
Mrs. Thibodeaux: [VO; friendly] So how is your family, Miss Miyazawa?  
  
Kano: [VO; to Mrs. Thibodeaux] Good.   
  
[Still of Kano at her desk looking studious.]  
  
Kano: [VO] And I tried hard to live up to Yukino's standard, too. To   
keep their trust.  
  
[Still of some posted test results. Kano Miyazawa has placed 20th, not   
at all bad in a school of South Shirakawa's size, but obviously not on   
Yukino's level.]  
  
Kano: [VO] I didn't always succeed as well as I wanted to.  
  
[Black and white still of Kano, hanging her head, being lectured by   
Mrs. Thibodeaux.]  
  
Mrs. Thibodeaux: [VO; sternly] What happened this time? I really   
expected better from a Miyazawa, you know...  
  
[Still of some posted test results. Tsukino Miyazawa has placed 18th.]  
  
Kano: [VO] She might have meant Tsukino, but I doubt it. Her grades   
were about the same as mine.  
  
[Shot of the Miyazawa family, engaged in their New Year karaoke battle,   
perhaps the one from "Susuharai."]  
  
Kano: [VO] Our family were always highly competitive, in a friendly   
sort of way.  
  
[Still of a line drawing of Yukino, her face an exquisite depiction of   
rapture.]  
  
Kano: [VO] For all that I cannot quite understand why my sister got   
such an intense gratification from beating the world at everything, at   
any cost. We joked that it might be a perversion, and it did seem more   
than a little abnormal, even given the competitive spirit in the house.   
  
[Faded black-and-white photo of the Miyazawa house.]  
  
Kano: [VO] Our lower class background, and a desire to overcome it,   
might be part of it.  
  
[File photo of Karl Marx.]  
  
Kano: [VO] But I am not a Marxist, not a vulgar one, at least, and I   
recognize class isn't everything.  
  
[Black and white still of Yukino in kindergarten, doing an elaborate   
show and tell presentation entitled "WHAT MY DADDY DOES ALL DAY" to her   
fellow students, who are all in silhouette. One exhibit is a picture of   
the factory where he works. Another seems to be a bar chart of annual   
profits. The teacher, also in silhouette, is seated on the floor   
looking on.]  
  
[Caption: DRAMATIZATION]  
  
Teacher: [female, young; VO, full of praise] That was lovely, Yukino!   
Thank you for sharing!  
  
Kano: [VO] At any rate, Yukino has always been like this, or at least   
for as long as I can reliably remember, and small children surely have   
no class consciousness as such, so that can't be the whole story.   
  
[File photo of Sigmund Freud.]  
  
Kano: [VO] The roots of complexes and neuroses are just that, complex,   
mono-causal theories like that of Freud notwithstanding.  
  
[Shot, from a fair distance, of Kano in shorts and a T-shirt, sitting   
slumped in a folding chair, her head hanging, against a black   
background. Perhaps it is Shinji's folding chair from _Neon Genesis   
Evangelion_.]  
  
Kano: [VO] So it goes. My sister had a complex about her image...  
  
[Close up of Kano slumped in the chair. Yukino is standing behind her   
in her winter Hokuei High uniform, her expression unreadable.]  
  
Kano: [VO] ...and one day I woke up to find myself with a complex about   
the exact same thing.  
  
[Shot, from a very safe distance of a giant Yukino, preferably in Hell-  
Hath-No-Fury mode, doing battle with what might be the Angel from   
episode 1 of Eva, naturally in the streets of Tokyo-3.]  
  
Kano: [VO] I felt my sister was a colossus that straddled the earth,   
who did battle with giants and could do anything...  
  
[Shot of SD Kano dozing on a quiet hill in the countryside outside   
Tokyo-3. A shadow falls over her, which is her cue to stir, look   
horrified at the sight above her, and jump up and run for dear life.]  
  
Kano: [VO] ...while the best I could do was try, with varying degrees   
of success, to get out of her shadow.  
  
[Shot of young Tonami--the short, pudgy version--on an identical hill   
outside Tokyo-3. A shadow falls over him. He looks up, and jumps with   
joy and enthusiasm, blushing like mad, and cheering Yukino on.]  
  
[Caption: DRAMATIZATION WITH PROFESSIONAL FANFIC CHARACTERS. DO NOT   
ATTEMPT]  
  
Tonami: Oh, yeah! Hubba hubba! Give me some of...  
  
[He pays for checking out Giant Yukino's panties by being stepped on by   
Giant Yukino's left foot. It is not clear if it was deliberate.]  
  
[Shot of Kano, eating rice at the Miyazawa table, looking glum.]  
  
[Caption: RE-ENACTMENT]  
  
Kano: [VO] My parents did nothing to help.  
  
[Kano picks up some rice with her chopsticks and puts it in her mouth,   
clearly without pleasure.]  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off] These are very good grades, Kano.  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off] Why yes! But as long as my little princess is happy   
at school and there's no problems, I couldn't ask for anything more!  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off] Exactly, dear!  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off] Granted, they're not on Yukino's level, but that's   
okay, right?  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off] Exactly, dear! No need to feel bad, Kano. We   
wouldn't want you to be Yukino anyway. You're your own person. That's   
as it should be. We like you just the way you are.  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off] You're not Yukino, but nobody really is. Even   
Yukino's not _really_ Yukino, right, honey?  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off; amused] Exactly, dear!  
  
[Loud laughter.]  
  
Kano: [VO] They treated it like an enormous joke like everything else.   
The rest of my family's not terribly sensitive, still less mature.  
  
[Still from "Susuharai" of Arima and Yukino on the couch on New Year's   
Eve, Arima in uniform, Yukino in kimono, Yukino holding Arima's hand   
and looking concerned.]  
  
Kano: [VO] I sometimes think that unless there's indisputably a crisis,   
everything _is_ a joke in our house.  
  
[Photo of Mr. and Mrs. Miyazawa holding up a baby.]  
  
[Caption: KANO MIYAZAWA AT SIX MONTHS]  
  
Kano: [VO] At any rate, for parents to be proud of their children is no   
great surprise. It's almost a family duty, or perhaps an instinct.  
  
[Photo of Yukino with her sisters and Peropero, all (barring Peropero)   
in winter uniform, Yukino in Hokuei's, the others in South Shirakawa's.   
Yukino, the tallest, is in the center, her arms around her sisters; all   
are smiling and cheerful.]  
  
Kano: [VO] What I really wanted was for Yukino herself to say that she   
was proud of me too. So I'd know it was all worthwhile.  
  
[White screen, on which is typed in black:]  
  
[BUT SHE NEVER DID.]  
  
[Black and white still of the sisters, preferably SD, at table. Yukino   
is in her sweatsuit, striking a ridiculous pose, perhaps Napoleonic.   
Tsukino is trying not to laugh. Kano is clearly upset.]  
  
Yukino: [VO; obviously teasing] When are you two going to accept the   
fact that _I'm_ fantastic?  
  
Kano: [VO; protesting] Sis! Cut it out!  
  
Tsukino: [VO; giggling] I do. Talk to Kano...!  
  
Kano: [VO; expository] In fact she was the worst with the teasing,   
because she didn't think it bothered me. That was understandable, for   
our competition was for all that always friendly enough.   
  
[Split-screen of test results. On the left, Yukino is number one. On   
the right, Kano is number 20.]  
  
Kano: [VO] It may have only been so light-hearted, though, because she   
may have never seen me as a serious threat.  
  
[Cut back to the framed picture of Yukino on the classroom wall. Kano   
is standing before it in her winter uniform, her back turned to us at   
just the right angle to let us see the picture but not Kano's face.   
Kano's left hand against the wall.]  
  
Kano: [VO] So I did not begrudge her status as an excellent student, or   
even as a role model.  
  
[Right profile of Kano standing before the painting, studying it. Her   
expression is pained, clearly betraying stress.]  
  
Kano: However, it is possible she didn't know the cost it imposed on my   
mental wellbeing.  
  
[White screen, on which is typed in black:]  
  
[IT IS POSSIBLE SHE DID NOT EVEN CARE.]  
  
[Cut back to the shot of Yukino and Asaba laughing and talking.]  
  
Kano: [VO] To her credit it was through Yukino that I met my heart's   
desire. It may well be through her that I find the means to win him   
over.  
  
[Cut to a close up of Kano in her futon at night, staring above her,   
brooding on all this. She looks to her side.]  
  
[Full-screen shot of Tsukino and Kano's futons. Tsukino is sound   
asleep, spread all over the futon, her covers kicked off. Yukino,   
again, is off camera, so it's not clear what state she is in. Kano is   
properly tucked in.]  
  
Kano: [whispering] Yukino? Tsukino? Are you guys still awake?  
  
[Neither Yukino nor Tsukino respond. Kano quietly sits up and slowly   
rises out of bed.]  
  
[Shot of the floor. A purse is just visible sitting more or less to the   
viewer's right in the dim light. Two bare feet, ankles clad in pajama   
bottoms, emerge from viewer's left. A hand reaches down and slowly   
picks up the purse.]  
  
[Shot of the Miyazawa upstairs hall. Light leaks from behind the   
(closed) bathroom door.]  
  
[Close up of the tap of the bathroom sink. It is off, and does not   
appear to have been turned on for several hours.]  
  
[Cut to Kano is sitting cross-legged, in silence, on the cramped floor   
of the bathroom, with the purse; our perspective is right profile. She   
opens the purse and digs through it for a moment, finally pulling out   
what appears to be an address book. She starts to flip through.]  
  
[Close up on the address book on Kano's lap. Kano flips until she comes   
to one page, on which has been drawn a map. It is labeled ASABA. She   
flips some more, until she comes to another map, labeled SAWADA.]  
  
[Cut back to Kano in profile on the floor. She carefully puts down the   
address book for a moment and rummages in the purse again, finally   
pulling out some notepaper and a pen.]  
  
[Close up of Kano's lap. Hands--obviously Kano's places the address   
book there, open to the SAWADA map. Then the left hand places a piece   
of notepaper down on the map; the map is still just visible through it.   
Kano's right hand then begins to trace the map on the paper with the   
pen.]  
  
[Cut to a suburban street in Kawasaki.]  
  
[Close up of a Japanese stop sign.]  
  
[Close up of an electric pylon.]  
  
[SFX: Noises of construction.]  
  
[Shot of a wall outside a construction site. The wall reads POST NO   
BILLS.]  
  
[Cut to a full screen shot of a small, not terribly luxurious but   
respectable apartment block in Kawasaki, the kind that might be   
inhabited by civil servants and white-collar workers on the lower end   
of middle management. It is late afternoon, which in February means the   
sky is already turning red.]  
  
[CAPTION: 2001.2.13 16.30]  
  
[Close up on the balcony of the 4th floor.]  
  
[SFX: Someone walking up metal steps to the fourth floor.]  
  
[Aya Sawada emerges onto the balcony from the staircase at the viewer's   
left, hidden from view, a scowl on her face. She has apparently just   
returned from school, and isn't pleased about it somehow.]  
  
Aya: [to herself] All that, _and_ that damn article due tomorrow. Gad,   
I hate my life...  
  
[She lets herself in to apartment 402 with her key and shuts the door.]  
  
[Close up on the door sign for 402. It reads: 402: SAWADA.]  
  
[The light dims just a touch, but for all that too quickly.]  
  
[Caption: 15 MINUTES LATER]  
  
[Pan to the extreme right of the balcony. SD Kano pokes her head out   
from the right-hand staircase. She brings her whole self out, still in   
school uniform; apparently _she_ came from school as well. She walks   
slowly on tiptoe to the door of 402, and stands before it for a   
moment.]  
  
[Close up on (normal) Kano's throat as she gulps.]  
  
[Close up on Kano's (shaking) right hand as she moves to ring the   
bell.]  
  
[SFX: Door bell rings.]  
  
[Cut to the door itself. After a few moments it opens. SD Aya pokes her   
head out the door.]  
  
Aya: If you're selling something, thanks, we've got one, and it's more   
trouble than it's worth. If you're from a cult, thanks, we're   
Catholics, and it's more trouble than it's worth. [blinks with   
recognition] Waitasec...do I know you?  
  
[Cut to normal Kano, standing outside the door on viewer's left, and SD   
Aya on the right, poking her head out the door and looking at Kano with   
narrow eyes.]  
  
Kano: [hesitant; she might stammer slightly] I don't know if you   
remember me...I was at the...at the play last year. I'm Kano   
Miyazawa...Yukino's little sister?  
  
Aya: [unimpressed] Uh-huh. And you are here, because...  
  
Kano: Well, I...I really, really liked the play...and I love the rest   
of your work too...you write as "Ayaki Sawai," right?  
  
Aya: [on guard, still calm but somewhat accusatory] Who wants to know?   
How'd you find out where I lived anyway? If it was someone from my   
publisher I'm gonna...  
  
Kano: No, it wasn't...anyway, I really loved your column at   
Christmas...  
  
Aya: [all smiles] Cool. Then you'll love the column I'm writing now.  
  
[Close up on Kano's face, who is now smiling nervously.]  
  
Kano: Really? What's it about?  
  
[Close up on SD Aya's face, still all smiles.]  
  
Aya: "Why All Fangirls Must Die." You don't miss it, now, you hear?   
[smile vanishes; bluntly] See ya.  
  
[Aya slams the door in Kano's face.]  
  
[Cut to SD Kano standing before the door in silence for a few moments.   
She blinks a couple of times.]  
  
[SFX: The wind whistles through the trees.]  
  
[Close up on (normal) Kano's throat as she gulps.]  
  
[Close up on Kano's (shaking) right hand as she moves to ring the   
bell.]  
  
[SFX: Door bell rings.]  
  
[Cut to the door itself. After a few moments it opens. SD Aya pokes her   
head out the door.]  
  
Aya: If you're selling something, thanks, we've got one. If you're from   
a cult, thanks, we're Catholics. [blinks with recognition; starts   
looking angry] Are you done, or am I gonna have to call the cops or   
your sis to drag your butt home? Jesus, you're worse than Tsubasa...  
  
[Cut to normal Kano, standing outside the door on viewer's left, and SD   
Aya on the right, poking her head out the door and looking at Kano with   
narrow eyes.]  
  
Kano: [pleading] I need your help! This is something only a master   
writer can do!  
  
Aya: [dismissively] Master writer. Right. [all business] What do you   
want?  
  
[Close up on Kano's face. She is clearly hesitant again.]  
  
Kano: Well, you see, there's...there's something I have to write, but I   
can't do it myself. Will you help me? I don't know if I can pay you   
enough, but...  
  
[Close up on SD Aya's face. Once again, all smiles.]  
  
Aya: Why sure!  
  
[Cut to now SD Kano and SD Aya's head in the balcony. Aya pokes her arm   
out and noogies Kano.]  
  
Aya: [cheerfully] Sure! Anything for Yukino Miyazawa's little sib even   
though Yukinon [her head suddenly expands Soun Tendo style and she   
starts to yell loud enough to bowl SD Kano over] IS SUCH A MONEY-  
GRUBBER SHE WOULDN'T GIVE YOU THE STEAM FROM HER PEE FREE OF CHARGE!   
I'M A PRO, DAMMIT! YOU WANT ME TO DO THIS FOR FREE, ARE YOU AS CRAZY AS   
SHE IS?  
  
[Close up on normal Kano, now almost in tears.]  
  
Kano: I'll do anything! I'll give you all the help I can...!  
  
[Close up on SD Aya's head.]  
  
Aya: Listen, this master writer ain't taking on any students. 'Sides,   
you don't want to be my slave unless you're the Buddha or brain dead.   
Or my friend Rika. But I repeat myself. [with finality] Beat it.  
  
[Close up on normal Kano's face. By now she really is tearing up.]  
  
Kano: How much do you want?  
  
[Shot from above of Kano's outstretched arms; she is holding out some   
wadded bills in her hands.]  
  
Kano: [VO; to Aya] This is what's left of my New Year money, along with   
my February allowance. If you want more I'll get it somehow. _Please._  
  
[Cut to SD Kano on the balcony holding out the bills (big, watering   
eyes) and SD Aya's head poking out the door. SD Aya looks at Kano,   
looks at the bills, looks at Kano, looks at the bills, and back and   
forth several times _ad lib._, getting faster each time.]  
  
[Shot of Aya, now normal, standing in the doorway, which she has now   
opened more fully. She has changed from her uniform to black slacks and   
a T-shirt reading HAKUSHENSHA on the front.]  
  
Aya: Well, I guess you really want me to do this, huh. [beat; remembers   
something] Can't work 'til I have a smoke anyway.  
  
[Close up of a cigarette being lit by the flame of a lighter. The   
cigarette glows as someone inhales.]  
  
[Shot of Aya's left profile as she leans on the balcony, staring into   
space as she takes the cigarette out of her mouth and exhales. She   
looks towards her left, that is, towards Kano (more or less, but not   
quite, towards the camera).]  
  
Aya: Do you mind?  
  
[Close up on Kano's face, her expression neutral.]  
  
Kano: [politely] No, not at all. This is your house.  
  
[Shot of Kano and Aya on the balcony, facing out towards the road. Kano   
stands on the left, her right profile to the camera. Aya is looking   
out, her back and face turned to the camera, her arms on the railing;   
now and again she lifts her right hand to her face, so she can take a   
pull on the cigarette. The evening light is dim enough that it is hard   
to tell Kano's expression.]  
  
Aya: My folks do. Rabid non-smokers, so I can't smoke in the house,   
even when they're not there. When they _are_ here I can't even smoke   
out here, so I can't get anything done. Most evenings around now   
they're not, though, so it works out okay. [beat; she takes a pull]   
Nice that you're cool about it. First time I went out on the town with   
your sister, I'm dying for one and I pull one out and light up, and she   
grabs it from out my mouth and steps on it and then she grabs my whole   
packet and steps on that too, and then she goes slapping me upside the   
head and she's like, "Tobacco's bad news, tobacco's bad news, tobacco's   
bad news!" like some goddamn public service announcement, and I'm like,   
what the hell is this crap? You don't like it, don't smoke, it's not   
like we're inside or anything, where there'd be passive smoke or some   
darn thing. Because we were out in the street somewhere. Damn busybody.   
Being crazy's bad enough. [turns her face towards Kano; the expression   
is obscured in the dim light] Do you smoke? You want one?  
  
Kano: [politely] No, thank you.  
  
Aya: [turning back away from the camera] Good girl. I don't recommend   
it either. But Jesus Christ...Rika bitches about it too, but at least   
she doesn't make a spectacle of herself in public about it. I dunno.  
  
[Beat. Aya takes a pull, then points with her right hand, that is, with   
the lit cigarette, into the distance. She exhales, then continues:]  
  
Aya: See that factory over there?  
  
[Kano turns away from the camera to look out towards the road.]  
  
[Still of the factory from a good distance, perhaps through some trees.   
It is the factory where Mr. Miyazawa works. In another incarnation, it   
is the factory from Arima's nightmares.]  
  
Kano: [VO] Uh-huh. My dad works there.  
  
Aya: [VO] Huh. On the factory floor?  
  
Kano: [VO] No. He works at a desk. I don't know what he does exactly.   
Something to do with buying supplies to make gasoline with. Crude oil   
and stuff.  
  
Aya: [VO] Hm. [beat; she might be taking a pull] Hey, fangirl. You want   
the inside scoop on what I'm really writing about?  
  
Kano: [VO; interested] Sure. Not about why fangirls must die, right?   
[giggles nervously]  
  
Aya: [VO; disgusted] No, stupid. [beat; normal] My dad works over there   
too. Human resources. He's trying to organize a union over there. He's   
a Communist. You know what a Communist is?  
  
Kano: [VO; hesitant] Sort of.  
  
Aya: [VO] Yeah. He heads up the party cell in town. He's even on the   
town council, only CP member on it. Factory's his day job. [beat] We   
would like to apologize for making that sound more interesting than it   
is.  
  
Kano: [VO] Is that a good idea?  
  
Aya: [VO] I dunno. My article talks about what'd be good and bad about   
it, real objective like. I mentioned it off hand to my editor and she's   
like, "You have the inside scoop! Write about it! Write about it!" So   
I'm like, "Okay, whatever, customer's always right." 'Course, if you   
ask me the real reason my dad wants to do it is he wants to be in   
charge, but he got passed over for promotion at work. He's too damn   
stupid to be actually responsible for anything, he just likes to boss   
people around, so he sets up a union and orders people around that way.   
He's like that at home, too. My dad's an asshole. [beat] My mom's cool   
though.  
  
Kano: [VO] She's the one you go to church with, right, Ms. Sawada?  
  
Aya: [VO] Yeah, that's her. She's a sweetheart. [beat; takes a pull] Oh   
yeah. Aya's fine. Ms. Sawada's my mom. How old do I look anyway?  
  
[Cut back to Aya leaning on the balcony. She inspects her cigarette,   
which is nearly finished.]  
  
Aya: [more or less to herself] These things never last long enough.   
[looks in Kano's direction] After I finish this--[holding up her   
cigarette]--I have to get my article written, because the editor's   
coming for it tomorrow, and I have homework to do too, so you gotta   
talk fast. What do you need written?  
  
[Full screen shot of Kano, who has suddenly retreated into herself,   
looking embarrassed, studying her shoes. She is silent a moment.]  
  
[Cut back to Aya.]  
  
Aya: Well?  
  
[Cut back to Kano.]  
  
Kano: [finally; very small, little girl voice] A poem.  
  
[Cut back to Aya.]  
  
Aya: [her eyebrow raised] A poem?   
  
[Aya goes SD; she looks unsure, scratches her head.]   
  
Aya: I dunno, I haven't done one of those. 'Least, not on   
commission...what about?  
  
[Head and shoulder shot of Kano's right profile.]  
  
Kano: You see...[in one breath] there's a guy I really like, but he's   
real popular, so I can't just give him chocolate for Valentine's, so I   
was going to write him a poem, but whenever I try myself it comes out   
sounding real dumb, so I was kinda going to ask you to help me write   
it. [beat] But if you don't want to, that's okay...  
  
[SD Aya sticks her face in Kano's. Kano retreats a bit.]  
  
Aya: And that's what you're willing to sell me your first-born for. So   
I can write a love poem that doesn't suck to your big crush, because   
you can't.  
  
Kano: [nervous] Uh, yeah.  
  
[Close up of normal Aya's face, framed by roses and sparkles, with Aya   
trying to look as beautiful as possible]  
  
Aya: Tell me, Kano, darling. Am I pretty?  
  
[Close up on SD Kano's face.]  
  
Kano: [sweatdropping] I guess...  
  
[Shot of SD Kano and SD Aya on the balcony, Aya in Kano's face. Each   
time Aya speaks she thrusts forward, Kano retreating back.]  
  
Aya: Clear skin?  
  
Kano: Uh-huh?  
  
Aya: Well-proportioned face?  
  
Kano: Yeah...  
  
Aya: Not too fat or too thin?  
  
Kano: No'm.  
  
Aya: I wouldn't have anything disfiguring would I, like a hairy mole?  
  
Kano: No'm.  
  
Aya: Or bushy eyebrows?  
  
Kano: No.  
  
Aya: Or big ears?  
  
Kano: No'm.  
  
Aya: Or--heaven forbid--a big nose?  
  
Kano: No, your nose is just fine.  
  
[Aya stops advancing, and lets out a sigh, apparently relieved. Then   
she looks back at Kano.]  
  
Aya: You're sure?  
  
Kano: Yes'm.  
  
Aya: Positive?  
  
Kano: Yes'm.  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[SFX: The wind whistles through the trees again.]  
  
[Aya's head swells Soun Tendo style again and she yells (again) loud   
enough to bowl SD Kano over.]  
  
Aya: [at the top of her lungs] SO WHY THE HELL DO YOU THINK I LOOK LIKE   
FRAGGING CYRANO DE BERGERAC, HUH? WHAT'S THAT?  
  
Kano: [yelling back defiantly] You're not very nice!  
  
Aya: YEAH! NEITHER IS STALKING, KIDDO! SINCE WHEN ARE THE MIYAZAWAS   
NICE?  
  
[Cut to normal Kano's face in right profile, clearly desperate.]  
  
Kano: [pleading] Please! You've got to help me!  
  
[Cut to full-length shot of normal Kano and normal Aya facing each   
other.]  
  
Aya: Well, I can't help you. You've been wasting your time. Go home,   
I've got work to do. [turns to go]  
  
[Full-length of Aya's back as Kano's right hand grabs her arm. Aya   
looks back.]  
  
Aya: Get your hands off me...!  
  
[Shot of Kano from the waist up in right profile, holding Aya's right   
arm.]  
  
Kano: [pleading] Please! I'll give you all the help you want! I'll tell   
you just the way to write it. I know what I want to say, but it just   
comes out wrong. I just need you to help me make it sound right!  
  
[Shot of Aya from the waist up her head bowed, her eyes shut.]  
  
Aya: [firmly] No.  
  
[Shot of Kano from the waist up in right profile, letting go of Aya's   
right arm.]  
  
Kano: [defeated] Then you won't help me. Huh.  
  
[Cut to full-length shot of normal Kano and normal Aya, Aya's back to   
Kano.]  
  
Aya: I'm telling you I _can't_.  
  
Kano: Why not?  
  
[Beat. Aya appears to be thinking.]  
  
Aya: [finally] Damn. I dropped my cigarette. [beat] This'll need   
another one anyway.  
  
[Close up of a cigarette being lit by the flame of a lighter. The   
cigarette glows as someone inhales.]  
  
[Shot of Aya's left profile as she leans on the balcony, staring into   
space as she takes the cigarette out of her mouth and exhales. She   
looks towards her left, that is, towards Kano (more or less, but not   
quite, towards the camera).]  
  
Aya: Okay, grasshopper. You came all the way out here to visit the   
master writer, I guess I owe you some words about my philosophy of   
writing, just so I don't come off as a total bitch. You want?  
  
[Close up on Kano's face, her expression neutral.]  
  
Kano: Okay.  
  
[Shot of Kano and Aya on the balcony, facing out towards the road. Kano   
stands on the left, her right profile to the camera. Aya is looking   
out, her back and face turned to the camera, her arms on the railing;   
now and again she lifts her right hand to her face, so she can take a   
pull on the cigarette. The evening light is dim enough that it is hard   
to tell Kano's expression.]  
  
Aya: Okay, here's the deal. Basically, when you write, you take a   
subject that, you hope, you know more about than other people do, and   
you try to tell other people about it in a way that'll make them   
interested in it. So they'll read more, or buy the book, or the   
magazine, or the detergent, or vote for your guy, or whatever. [beat;   
takes a pull] If you're lucky it will be a subject you care about. Like   
Christmas. A lot of the time it'll be a subject that you don't give a   
rat's ass about but someone else does, like unions, and they want it   
tomorrow or you're unemployed, so you have to pretend it's more   
interesting than you think it is. Half the time you don't even have   
that, and you really don't have a damn thing to say, but you write   
about the first thing that comes into your head, and make it sound   
interesting, 'cause you're a pro and you are expected to deliver.   
[beat; takes a pull] Writer's block is bullshit. You wanna know why?  
  
Kano: Why?  
  
Aya: Because when you do this for money, you don't have time for it,   
and you need something written by five on Friday when the editor comes   
by. I used to whine about writer's block too, until I realized this was   
serious business. Only amateurs do that. Sure they can think of   
something to write, they're just too lazy. That and they want to write   
something beautiful when people just want something interesting to read   
on the damn train, for God's sake. [beat; takes a pull] Anyway, _you_   
being interested in it isn't enough. You need to make the reader   
interested too, even when you really know that _they_ really don't   
_need_ to know, 'cause it's no big deal really. Because come on. Who   
cares what the beautiful and talented Ayaki Sawai or whoever does at   
Christmas? World won't end if you never know. So you end up a lot of   
the time writing about something like it's a big deal, but really   
isn't, except to you maybe. Sometimes not even. I can't bear to read my   
own stuff a lot of the time. [beat; takes a pull] It's easier than it   
looks, though, if you put a decent effort into it and you're   
professional about it. Anybody could write what I write, if they were   
in my position. You probably could have written my columns. You're just   
not under the same pressure, is all. [beat; takes a pull] Which is   
cool. Great, actually. You Miyazawas I guess are all real smart, so you   
can be whatever you want. I'm not, so I need to be able to get a job in   
something I can actually do and get some fulfillment out of. Beats   
flipping burgers. Most of the time, anyway. This is training,   
grasshopper. [beat] I know what you're thinking. "Why the hell is she   
going on about this? What's the point?"  
  
Kano: [a bit apologetically] Kinda, yeah.  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[Cut back to Aya leaning on the balcony, staring off into space. She   
takes a pull, and exhales. She looks at Kano.]  
  
Aya: [flatly] I can't help you because there's no way you, me or   
anybody else can do, say, or write that'd make the guy interested in   
the fact you like him. That's just the way it is, so I could take your   
money and write something, but it'd be a complete waste of time.   
Period. I'd just be stealing your money. I can't say I'll do a job if I   
know I can't deliver.  
  
[Cut to Kano's face. She is visibly shocked.]  
  
Kano: [protesting] But why? Why makes you think he won't...  
  
Aya: [off] That's just it.  
  
[Cut to Aya and Kano on the balcony, but a bit closer up, so we can   
clearly see Kano's and Aya's expressions. Aya's face is not completely   
unsympathetic, to be fair; it's more the face of someone breaking some   
rather bad news about The Way The World Works.]  
  
Aya: I dunno if he'll like you back or not. [raising an eyebrow] This   
guy actually knows you from Adam, right?  
  
Kano: [nodding] Uh-huh.  
  
Aya: Good. Then there are two possibilities. [gestures with her right   
hand] Either he'll be interested in you back...[gestures with her left]   
or he won't be. If he is interested, just saying you like him'll work   
just great, and there's no point writing the darn thing at all. If he's   
not...[beat; takes a pull, exhales]...even if you were the greatest   
poet in the world there's nothing that you could write that could   
change that or make him the least bit more interested in you or the   
fact you like him than he already is. Okay? If he doesn't like you   
back, there's nothing you can do about it. Come to think of it, there's   
nothing _he_ could do about it really, I guess. You sure can't pick who   
you like. It doesn't work that way. Which is rough, but that's life.   
[Beat; takes a pull, exhales] That's why I don't write love poems,   
period. I did, for a while, when I had a crush on a guy.  
  
Kano: [interested] Who?  
  
Aya: [waving her hand] Nobody you or your sis'd know. I sent them to   
him and he just laughed. Honest, that's what he did. I saw him reading   
them to his buddies and laughing his ass off. I was over it in, like, a   
week, though. Asshole. I'm probably better off. Anyway, the poems you   
see about love--the ones that aren't the sort of crap in greeting cards   
I mean--there's something else in there to make 'em interesting. Either   
they're really about sex, which is _always_ interesting to people, or   
about man's place in the world, or something deep like that. [stands   
up]   
  
Kano: So how do I tell him I like him?  
  
[Shot of Aya's left profile from the waist up. She takes a last pull,   
exhales, and flicks the cigarette off the balcony out of sight.]  
  
Aya: Showing it's good.   
  
[Close up of Kano's blank expression.]  
  
[Shot of the upstairs hall of the Miyazawa household at night. Light   
leaks from the bottom of the stairs.]  
  
[Shot of Kano sitting in her pajamas on the stairs, her left profile to   
the camera, not quite inside the light, hugging herself, as quiet as a   
mouse.]  
  
[SFX: Soft but clearly audible mutterings and erotic cries _ad lib._]  
  
[Close up on Kano's face. Her expression is blank.]  
  
Arima: [off; whispered] Should I...?  
  
Yukino: [off; tender, whispered] Let me, okay?  
  
Arima: [off; whispered] Okay...[beat]...ah...Yukino...  
  
Yukino: [off; whispered] Oh...Soichiro...  
  
[Front view of SD Aya.]  
  
Aya: [with finality] Okay, that's enough of that. You have any more guy   
trouble, send a letter to Auntie Akiko at my magazine. [beat; rubs her   
chin] Actually, don't. She's full of crap. 46-year-old virgin, big as a   
buffalo and twice as mean. Try asking your big sister. She actually   
knows something about the acquisition and care of a man. Byeee! [makes   
to bolt for her door]  
  
Kano: [off; dejected] I can't ask her.   
  
[Front view of Normal Aya turning back, stopped in her tracks.]  
  
Aya: Why not? She charge too much or...  
  
[Full-length shot of Kano, hanging her head.]  
  
[Close up of Aya's face.]  
  
Aya: I said...[disbelief]...oh God, it's not Arima, is it?  
  
[Full-length shot of Kano, hanging her head.]  
  
Kano: No.  
  
[Shot of normal Aya, left background, with the back of normal Kano's   
head right foreground, in front of Aya's door.]  
  
Aya: Then who...  
  
Kano: [reluctantly] Hideaki Asaba.  
  
Aya: Asaba?  
  
[Beat. Aya suddenly turns SD and starts laughing her head off. Kano   
sweatdrops.]  
  
[SFX: Comical drumrolls.]  
  
Aya: [ad lib.] BWAWAHAHA! Oh my God, what a riot! Oh help me!   
HAHAHAHAHA! Oh, this is so great I could just die! BAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh you   
poor dear! WAHAHAHAHA!  
  
Kano: [through her teeth; a vein might stand out on her head] It's not   
funny!  
  
[SFX: End drumrolls.]  
  
[Close up of Aya's face; she has managed to get back into normal mode.   
She wipes a tear from her eye.]  
  
Aya: I'm sorry. It's just...trust me, girl, he is _not_ the man for   
you, okay?   
  
[Close up of Kano's face. She is clearly very angry.]  
  
Kano: [furious] Says who?  
  
[SD Aya gets in her face again.]  
  
Aya: So, how well do you know this guy again?  
  
Kano: [defensively] I've met him lots of times! He comes over to our   
house all the time! He's real nice!  
  
[Close up on Aya's face in left profile, which has suddenly reverted to   
normal.]  
  
Aya: How much do you really know about him? Aside from the fact he's a   
friend of your sisters and he's cute?  
  
[Close up on Kano's face in right profile. She blushes and does not   
reply.]  
  
[Close up on Aya's face in left profile. Her eyes are shut, with a look   
as if suspicions were confirmed.]  
  
Aya: I thought not. [makes as if to turn away]  
  
[Shot of Aya left foreground, facing towards the door away from the   
road, Kano in right background.]  
  
Aya: I could say the guy's a lech, but you probably know that. Listen.   
Just because somebody hangs out with your big sister does not make them   
cool. When your sis decided to make some actual friends she ended up   
with the biggest collection of freaks on God's green earth. Especially   
her boyfriend, though don't tell her I said that or I'll kick your ass.  
  
Kano: Even you?  
  
[Close up on SD Aya pointing to her own face.]  
  
Aya: _Especially_ me. 'Course I'm a freak, I'm an artist.  
  
[Shot of normal Aya, looking out into the red yonder.]  
  
Aya: [reflective] But I guess she kinda likes us anyway. And in her own   
way we think she's kind of cool. [beat] Which is nice.  
  
[Back to SD Aya pointing to her own face.]  
  
Aya: But I don't recommend me to others.  
  
[Shot of normal Aya slapping her right hand on Kano's shoulder.]  
  
[Shot from waist up of Aya (at left) and Kano (at right), the lower   
view blocked by the balcony.]  
  
Aya: I can't believe I'm about to do this but repeat after me.   
"Sawada's bad news, Sawada's bad news..."  
  
Aya:  
[together] "...Sawada's bad news!"  
Kano:   
  
[They titter conspiratorially. Aya lets go of Kano's shoulder.]  
  
Aya: [sisterly, not the least bit harsh] Point is, Yukino's Yukino,   
you're you. Get your own friends for God's sake.  
  
Rika: [off, viewer's left] Aya! I'm here!  
  
[Aya and Kano look to see who it is.]  
  
[It is Rika Sena, in a cute skirt and sweater, bearing a lunch box, and   
smiling as always.]  
  
[Cut to a shot of SD Kano and Aya, left, and SD Rika, right.]  
  
Aya: [beaming, jumping comically] Whoa! Food! Kickass!  
  
[SD Rika laughs happily.]  
  
[Normal Aya goes to the door and opens it.]  
  
[Shot of Rika, right, in front of Kano.]  
  
Rika: [cooing] I remember you! You're Yukino's little sister, right?   
What are you doing here?  
  
[Cut to Aya, standing in the door.]  
  
Aya: I dunno, she just kinda showed up. You coming in or what?  
  
[Cut back to Rika and Kano. Rika is looking off camera to her left,   
towards the door.]  
  
Rika: [happily] Okay!  
  
[Cut to the door. Rika all but skips inside the apartment and out of   
sight. Aya watches her go in, then:]  
  
Aya: [to Kano] Okay. Pep talk over. Go home now. I see you here again,   
I really do kick your ass. Got it? And don't tell anyone I live here or   
you die.  
  
[She goes in and shuts the door, though not slamming it this time.]  
  
[Cut to Kano, standing in front of the door in silence, her mouth   
slightly open.]  
  
[SFX: A whistle sounds signaling the end of a shift.]  
  
[Cut back to the wall outside a construction site.]  
  
Man: [off] It's Miller Time!  
  
[Later. It is a bit after dark. A shopping district.]   
  
[Cut to shop sign, reading CHOCOLATIER KAWASAKI in Latin characters.]  
  
Clerk: [VO; female, middle-aged; a bit unsure] You're sure you want   
this one, miss?  
  
Kano: [VO; firmly] Yes'm.  
  
Clerk: [VO] You have enough, right?  
  
Kano: [VO; raising her voice a touch] Yes!  
  
Clerk: [VO] You're sure you want to spend that much? We have some   
others that are just as good...  
  
Kano: [VO; starting to whine] I want this one. Really. Can I pay for it   
now?  
  
Clerk: [VO; capitulating] The customer is always right. [beat] I   
suppose I should wish you good luck. He must be someone very special.  
  
[Cut to Kano, eating rice at the dinner table. Nobody else at table is   
within camera range. Kano seems lost in thought.]  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off] So, what took so long at club today, Kano?  
  
Kano: [laconic] Stuff.  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off] You know what I think, honey?  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off] What, dear?  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off] I think my little princess Kano was out buying   
chocolates for her favorite boy in the whole wide world!  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off; playing along] And who might that be, dear?  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off] Me, of course! But she's so bashful she can't say   
it!  
  
[Loud laughter.]  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off; getting into it] In fact, I bet my other princesses   
are off doing the exact same thing right now! I feel so loved...!  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off] Now dear, you know Tsukino's studying at the   
library and Yukino...well...she has someone else to buy for...  
  
Kano: [bored] He told her not to, Mom. She said so herself. Twice.  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off] Even better! All the more for me!  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off, teasing] Come now, dear. Isn't my chocolate   
enough?  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off; waxing eloquent] Why honey, you don't understand!   
As a husband, to get chocolate from my beloved wife is exquisite   
enough, but to get it also from three other beautiful and oh-so-  
desirable women would be sheer heaven for any man...!  
  
[A stylized bulging vein appears at Kano's right.]  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off; not amused] Re-phrase that. _Dear._  
  
[A sweatdrop appears at Kano's left.]  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off; confused] Wh...what'd I say, honey?  
  
[Kano has finished half her rice, but hasn't touched her fish. She puts   
down her rice-bowl and chopsticks and rises.]  
  
Kano: May I be excused?  
  
[Close-up of Kano's face, still hard in thought.]  
  
Kano: [VO; thinking] Showing it. Yes.  
  
[Cut to front view of the Miyazawa house. A clear February day.]  
  
[Caption: 2001.2.14 16.00]  
  
[Shot of Peropero dozing in his kennel, his tail turned to the camera.]  
  
[Shot of the Miyazawa living room. The only light is from the front   
window, and at this time of day it is poor. The TV set is off, and the   
room is completely silent.]  
  
[Shot of the upstairs hall. The only light is from the window at   
viewer's left. The hall is also silent.]  
  
[SFX: Someone opening and closing a door.]  
  
[SFX: Someone dropping a bag.]  
  
[SFX: Someone taking off shoes.]  
  
Kano: [off] I'm home.  
  
[Close up of the keypad of the Miyazawa telephone.]  
  
[SFX: Someone--presumably Kano--setting going an answering machine.]  
  
Machine: [VO; recorded voice] One message. First message. At 2:20 p.m.  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [VO; from machine; cheerful] Hi kids! It's Mom.   
Obviously I'm out right now. Getting chocolates for your father of   
_course_!...I just hope there's something decent left to give   
him...anyway, I'm going to meet him in town somewhere nice and give   
them to him, so you'll just have to forage tonight. Don't worry though,   
we'll be home by bedtime! Byeee!  
  
Machine: [VO] End of message. That was the last message.  
  
[Shot of Kano in her uniform, pulling up her sleeves.]  
  
Kano: [determined] Right.  
  
[A freezer door opens. Kano's hands pull out a bag labeled FRENCH   
FRIES.]  
  
[Shot from front of an oven door being pulled open.]  
  
[Shot from above of a gloved hand sliding a cookie sheet covered with   
frozen fries into the oven.]  
  
[Close up on an oven dial set to BAKE.]  
  
[A cupboard door is opened, revealing all manner of powders, spices and   
sauces.]  
  
[Close up on a jar of gravy. Kano's right hand takes it out of the   
cupboard.]  
  
[A fridge door opens, revealing all sorts of goodies requiring   
refrigeration.]  
  
[Close up on a bag of grated cheese. Kano's right hand picks it up.]  
  
[Close up on a saucepan, sitting over gas, according to the dial at a   
LOW setting.]  
  
[SFX: Something viscous, probably the gravy, bubbling in the saucepan.]  
  
[Close up on an empty, clean lunch box, sitting on the countertop.]  
  
[SFX: Someone shutting off the gas. The bubbling stops.]  
  
[Cut to a random, fairly nice street in Kawasaki. A barrier has come   
down to let an electric train pass. The train arrives and thunders by.]  
  
[Cut to a not-so-nice street in Kawasaki. The factory, which is within   
walking distance, looms over it, stacks spitting God knows what into   
the air. Tatty storefronts, as many bearing Korean _hangul_ characters   
as Japanese, and tenements are the rule. Many are boarded up and in   
obvious disrepair, bearing FOR SALE and FOR RENT signs that have   
clearly been there a long time, and covered with miscellaneous gang   
symbols, fascist, communist and anarchist emblems, and other graffiti   
in Japanese, Korean and English, the English being mostly obscenities.   
Any or all of these might be file photos.]  
  
[SFX: A whistle from the factory signaling change of shift.]  
  
[Close up on a discarded bicycle, lying at the side of the street in   
front of one of the abandoned storefronts. Someone has drawn crude   
genitalia on the wall of the store.]  
  
[Close up on an empty beer bottle.]  
  
[Close up on a discarded black glove.]  
  
[Shot from above of Kano, still in uniform and looking horribly out of   
place, her bag on her back, the lunch box cradled in her hands. She is   
walking as quickly as possible without appearing to run or look   
panicked.]  
  
[Shot of a couple of tough looking youths, sharing a cigarette. They   
look up, presumably as Kano passes.]  
  
[Shot from the front of Kano from her waist up. She looks from side to   
side, partly from apprehension, partly from incomprehension, as if she   
cannot believe this is the place she was looking for.]  
  
[A clearly homeless, just as clearly intoxicated man looks up from a   
paper-covered bottle, presumably as Kano passes.]  
  
[Shot of Kano from right profile, still walking. She at last stops,   
tries not to make it obvious she is checking for anyone following her,   
and looks up and around, presumably at the building before her. As she   
does so, an very old, frail woman in kimono passes behind her in the   
background from right to left, while a rough-looking man in his   
thirties, perhaps a factory worker, passes from left to right,   
presumably homeward bound.]  
  
[Shot of the front of the building Kano is standing in front of. It is   
a rundown, two-story boarding house, made from cinderblocks; it might   
be Maison Ikkoku, stripped of its charm, with a dash of Rei Ayanami's   
tenement thrown in for good measure. A sign on the front wall says   
MAISON ELLEN DE GROOT.]  
  
[Cut back to Kano looking up at the building.]  
  
Voice: [off; male, foreign accent, slurred] You right, pet?  
  
[Kano looks to her left to see who it is.]  
  
[Cut to the caller. It is a white man, possibly though not definitely   
under forty, given his ravaged, lean look. He is almost certainly   
homeless: his dark hair is uncut and unwashed; his nails are long and   
dirty; his face, with bushy eyebrows and a large, red, triangular,   
blackhead-speckled nose, is unwashed and covered with several days   
worth of beard. He wears torn blue slacks, old, beat-up hiking boots, a   
dirty beige jacket and hat and gray gloves. He is trying his best to   
look friendly. He approaches Kano.]  
  
[Cut to shot of both man, left, and Kano, right]  
  
Kano: [a bit afraid] Um...is this Maison Ellen de Groot?  
  
White Man: That it is, pet. Sure, doesn't it say on the front door,   
now. Ah, sure, where're me manners, at all. Have to introduce meself   
Japanese style, won't I, now? [bows] Peter Roche, King of the Homeless.  
  
Kano: Um...[bows tentatively] Kano Miyazawa. Ch...charmed...  
  
[The white man laughs out loud, then starts to cough violently. Kano is   
clearly concerned, but just as afraid to approach.]  
  
Kano: Are you all right?  
  
White Man: [recovering] Oh yes, pet, I'm just...[gasps]...I'm just   
grand, now, I am. Sure, this happens to me all the time. I'm not a fit   
man, at all, at all, and me having to sleep in the wet. Sure it'd ruin   
the health of any man alive. [fully recovered; gets to the point] That   
reminds me, pet. I don't suppose you'd be having a little spare change   
for a poor man away from his native home, would you, love? I haven't   
eaten in three days, and I'm dying of hunger...  
  
Kano: [automatically, firmly; this is how panhandlers are dealt with] I   
don't have any money. [makes as if to turn away]  
  
White Man: [making a show of being upset] Ah sure, what's this now?   
Sure you won't help a poor man in need. And here I came to Japan   
because I heard tell they were the prettiest girls there in all the   
world. [smiling at a joke only he gets] Sure the eyes are not as large   
as the ones I heard tell of, mind you, but I thought them sweet and   
charming just the same, and once I was here I couldn't get home again,   
so...  
  
Kano: Where are you from?  
  
White Man: [lyric] I am from Ireland,  
And the holy land of Ireland.  
Please sir, I beg you,  
Come and dance with me in Ireland.  
  
[The man starts to dance with himself, in the process stumbling. Kano   
dashes over and catches his arm, helping him up.]  
  
White Man: Oh, thank you, pet. You're a grand girl, you are. Tell you   
what, pet. [looks up at her, starting to look lustful] Never mind your   
money, I wouldn't take it from a pretty girl like you anyway. Will you   
not give me a kiss instead? That'd do me as much good as any food in   
the world...  
  
[Kano is revolted and is looking for (non-existent) escape routes, when   
something hits the white man square on the head, succeeding in knocking   
him down on the road.]  
  
Voice [off; female, gruff] Get yo' cracker ass outta here, you ol'   
pervert!  
  
[The white man looks up from where he's lying. He feels his head and   
checks his hand for blood.]  
  
White Man: Sure, what's the matter with you? Sure I wasn't doing your   
one here any harm!  
  
[A fat middle-aged Japanese woman has emerged from the boarding house,   
holding a stone in her hand. She is judging its weight, and looking   
vicious.]  
  
Woman: No shit, 'cause I caught you before you could start! Now hit the   
road before I give you more of the same!  
  
[The white man struggles to rise, finally succeeding.]  
  
White Man: [at the woman] Y'auld bitch! You'll get yours, you will, and   
I'll hand it you in spades! Just say when!  
  
[Cut back to the boarding house door.]  
  
Woman: The heck you will! This here's private property, somethin' you   
ain't got, but I do, and I reckon I'll keep it that way, a'right? I see   
you here one more time, I kick yo' ass all the way back to yo' pot o'   
gold, and you come back affur that, I ax the poh-lice to do it fo' me!   
Vamoose!  
  
[The white man stumbles off, cursing under his breath.]  
  
[Cut back to woman.]  
  
Woman: [a bit more nicely, certainly more politely] Sorry, honey. He's   
homeless, and drunk most o' the time. He don't hurt nobody really, he's   
just a pain in the bee-hind. Hustling people as po' as he is.   
  
[Cut to side view of woman standing at the door, at viewer's right.   
Kano approaches from left.]  
  
Kano: [bowing] Thank you, ma'am.  
  
Woman: No problem, honey. You go on home now, and be good. [makes as if   
to go in]  
  
Kano: Actually, ma'am...is this Maison Ellen de Groot?  
  
[The woman lights a cigarette.]  
  
Woman: [finally] Yeah. And li'l ol' me's the manager, and I'm damn   
proud. C'n I he'p you?  
  
Kano: I hope so...does Hideaki Asaba live here?  
  
Woman: [suspicious] Who wants to know? You his girl or somethin'?  
  
Kano: [not sure how to answer] Something like that...[shows her the   
lunch box] I have something for him.  
  
[Cut to a front view of the woman. She seems to accept Kano's answer.   
She pulls on the cigarette, exhales.]  
  
Woman: He's in room four, fo' now. His sorry ass is gonna be homeless   
too if he don't pay his rent purdy soon. You go up there, you wanna let   
him know that, a'right? [starting to rant] He don' listen to me none, I   
done told him three times in the past two weeks, 'cause the rent was   
due the first o' the month like I tole him...  
  
[Cut back to a front view of Kano. She is clearly pleased.]  
  
Kano: Thanks ma'am.  
  
[Cut to a door with a big 4 stenciled in. Hideaki Asaba answers it.]  
  
Asaba: [beginning to make excuses] No, I don't have it yet, honest. I   
haven't found another job yet...[realizing who it is] Kano? What are   
you doing here by yourself?  
  
[Shot of Kano Miyazawa in the corridor, holding out the lunch box,   
beaming and blushing.]  
  
Kano: Happy Valentine's Day.  
  
--  
Mon chemin ce n'est pas un chemin, c'est la neige.  
--  



	2. La chienne noire du raconteur

  
[Full screen shot of Asaba's room. It would be more appropriate to a   
heroin addict than a high-school heartthrob. A single naked light bulb   
hangs precariously from the wall. A dirty futon is flush against the   
back wall, under a window with no drapes or Venetian blinds. There is   
no other furniture, save for a small chair and a rickety table covered   
with papers, possibly homework, at left, a laundry basket and small,   
overflowing trash can, right, and a TV at the end of the futon. The   
floor is littered with miscellaneous rubbish.]   
  
[Close up in turn on the major classes of rubbish: dirty clothes; what   
appear to be men's health magazines; a pile of leftover Hideaki Asaba   
Dinner Show brochures; old takeout boxes; etc. ad lib.]  
  
[Close up on peeling wallpaper.]  
  
[Close up on a stain on the floor that might be a cigarette burn.]  
  
[Close up on another stain on the floor that might be blood.]  
  
[Close up on the TV. It is a very old model, with "rabbit ear" antennae   
and dials for adjusting channel and volume. The famed body-board is   
propped up on its left side.]  
  
[Shot of SD Kano, drawn crudely in pencil, freaking out, her eyes   
swirls]  
  
[SFX: Dramatic booming noise.]  
  
Kano: EEEEEEK!  
  
[Close up of Normal Asaba's face in right profile, looking down a bit,   
presumably at Kano.]  
  
Asaba: What?  
  
[Cut back to the full screen shot of Asaba's room.]  
  
Kano: [VO] Oh my _God!_ _This_ is your room?  
  
Asaba: [VO] Yippers. This is the Hideaki Asaba Penthouse of Love.  
  
[Cut to the view from the (dingy) window. The back of the house is as   
depressing as the front, with an overflowing dumpster immediately   
behind the tenement and a view of a not-terribly-much-better street   
beyond.]   
  
Kano: [VO; horrified] How can you live in a place like this?  
  
[Close up on a backyard in the street beyond. A big, vicious looking   
black dog, perhaps a stray, is barking at God knows what.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] You get used to it. Plus it's all I can afford. [beat; he   
might sigh] Yes, I live in a shithole. Living alone isn't as glamorous   
as it sounds, trust me.  
  
[Cut back to Normal Asaba's face, now front view. He looks a little   
puzzled.]  
  
Asaba: How did you get here, anyway? Kind of dangerous by yourself,   
isn't it?  
  
[Cut back to the full screen shot of Asaba's room, except now Kano is   
in the foreground, her front to the screen, her hands on her hips,   
fixing Asaba (off camera) with a firm look.]  
  
Kano: [firmly] This will _not_ do.  
  
[SD Kano suddenly starts putting the room into some semblance of order,   
as jerkily and comically as possible: collecting the dirty clothes and   
putting them in the laundry basket; organizing the magazines and   
putting them into neat piles for want of shelf space; organizing the   
papers on the desk; shining the window with a dirty shirt; dusting the   
TV with same; and finally putting the takeout boxes into trash bags   
pulled from hammer-space.]  
  
[Shot of the back wall of the tenement, the dumpster at back, now   
drawn, however, in a very simple, comical fashion. The dog is now   
nosing around by the dumpster. The window opens and the trash bags fall   
out the window, hitting the dog on the head. It barks in protest.]  
  
[Cut back to Normal Kano in front of the room, dusting her hands off   
and smiling, satisfied. The room still looks like a slum, but at least   
now it's tidier.]  
  
Kano: There, that's much better.  
  
[Full-length shot of Asaba at the door, just staring. He is in a white   
t-shirt and jeans. He blinks.]  
  
Asaba: Uh, thanks. I was getting around to that, honest.  
  
[Cut back to Normal Kano, still beaming, her hands now folded.]  
  
Kano: No prob.  
  
[Shot of Kano and Asaba from the left wall, so Kano is looking up at   
Asaba from left, and Asaba is at right.]  
  
Asaba: Uh huh...so why are you here again?  
  
[Kano suddenly goes SD, starts to fidget, seems to have forgotten]  
  
Kano: Oh...yes...heh heh heh...why am I here?...good question,   
that...[points finger in the air] Oh yeah!  
  
[Close up of Kano's hands holding up the lunch box to offer it to   
Asaba.]  
  
Kano: [VO] I thought I'd bring you some dinner.  
  
Asaba: [VO] Dinner? [beat] Oh. Okay. Thanks.  
  
[Close up on Asaba's hands cradling the lunch box. One hand moves to   
open the lunch box. It is full of gravy and cheese covered fries.]  
  
[Close up on SD Asaba's face, looking down at the poutine, puzzled. He   
might blink once or twice. A question mark appears above his head.]  
  
[Close up on Normal Asaba's face. He looks up, towards Kano (off   
camera).]  
  
Asaba: [a bit unnerved] What is _this_ stuff?  
  
[Close up on Kano's head and shoulders. She is smiling, expectant.]  
  
Kano: [cheerfully] It's called poutine.  
  
[Cut back to Asaba's face.]  
  
Asaba: [puzzled] It's called what?  
  
[Cut back to Kano's face.]  
  
Kano: Pou...tine. It's a Québécois dish.  
  
[Cut back to Asaba's face.]  
  
Asaba: Kay-bay-huh?  
  
[Cut back to Kano's face.]  
  
Kano: From Quebec. [beams even more] Go on, try it.  
  
[Cut to Asaba's left profile from waist up.]  
  
Asaba: [tentatively] I'll try anything once, I guess...  
  
[Cut back to Kano's face. She's now blushing.]  
  
Kano: Ooh! I like that attitude!  
  
[Cut to Asaba's left profile from waist up. He picks up a fry and   
slowly brings it to his mouth. Then:]  
  
[Cut to a front view of Asaba. He looks overjoyed. A Quebec flag rises   
behind him.]  
  
[SFX: Generic fanfare.]  
  
Asaba: It's...it's DELICIOUS!   
  
[Cut to full-length of SD Kano. She giggles.]  
  
Kano: Actually, it should be cheese curds, not grated cheese, but they   
didn't have any curds at the deli, so I had to make do...is it okay   
then?  
  
[Asaba suddenly jumps on Kano, rubbing himself on her like he would on   
Arima. Kano blushes and cheers up immensely.]  
  
Kano: [to Asaba; false modesty] Ooh! Asaba, this is so sudden...  
  
[Close up on SD Kano's face.]  
  
Kano: [thinking; creepy] Kickass! It worked better than I thought!  
  
Asaba: [still in raptures, not listening] Oh, my culinary perspective   
has been so broadened! I feel so loved...!   
  
Kano: [appearing to remember something] Oh! I almost forgot!  
  
[Close up of her (normal) face.]  
  
Kano: Asaba? Does your TV get TV Tokyo?  
  
[Shot of front view of Asaba on one knee in front of her (though he's   
let her go by now). He blink again.]  
  
Asaba: Huh? Oh. Yeah, sure. Most days, anyway.  
  
[Cut to the TV, which is showing a brown-haired, fairly pretty girl,   
holding a mike.]  
  
Announcer: [VO; baritone, as inane as humanly possible] "The family   
experimented on my brother!" Next Mizusu!  
  
[The TV cuts to what appears to be an "eyecatch" commercial break still   
from a cartoon. At upper left is the head of Terrance, a brown-haired   
boy; at lower right is the head of Phillip, a fair-haired boy. The   
character designs are extremely simple, the heads being basically ovals   
cut in half through the middle with eyes drawn in the top half, and   
bits of color added for hair. Across the screen is written TERRANCE AND   
PHILLIP SPECIAL, LIVE FROM MONTREAL.]  
  
Announcer: [VO; tenor, but just as inane] Now, it's back to the   
Terrance and Phillip Special, Live from Montreal!  
  
[Cut to SD Kano, left, and SD Asaba, right, sitting at the head of the   
futon. Asaba is munching poutine from the box. Kano is looking   
thrilled.]  
  
Kano: Oh yes oh yes oh yes! I've been dying to see this one! This one's   
famous!  
  
Asaba: [his mouth full] Huh.  
  
[Cut to Terrance, left, and Phillip, right, apparently buried up to   
their necks in a snowdrift. The only clue that they're actually in   
Montreal and not the Arctic is a sign at extreme right, poking out of   
the snow, that should be an American stop sign but reads ARRÊT in   
French, not STOP. The tops of Terrance and Phillip's heads bounce up   
and down as they talk.]  
  
Phillip: [annoying imitation of an upper-class English schoolboy]   
Terrance, the weather in Montreal in February sucks Jacques Parizeau's   
ass!  
  
Terrance: [almost indistinguishable from Phillip's, just as annoying]   
That's a lot of ass, Phillip!  
  
[They both laugh in unison, as irritatingly as possible.]  
  
Phillip: Well, it's true! I'd rather be in Edmonton!  
  
Terrance: Why the fuck would you want to go to Edmonton, Phillip? That   
city is gayer than Stockwell Day! Why do you think Stock went to   
Ottawa?  
  
[They both laugh.]  
  
Phillip: The point is I don't like freezing my ass off in a snowdrift,   
Terrance! At least in Alberta they have plenty of home heating fuel!  
  
Terrance: So what, Phillip? We have plenty of natural gas right here!  
  
[Terrance shuts his eyes, shifts in the snow a bit, and farts loudly.   
They both laugh.]  
  
[Cut back to SD Kano and SD Asaba. Kano is laughing almost as   
irritatingly as Terrance and Phillip. Asaba is staring, completely   
lost.]  
  
Asaba: I'm not getting any of this at all.  
  
[Caption: MORAL: NEVER SHOW NEWBIES _URUSEI YATSURA_]  
  
Kano: [pointing at the screen, trying to explain] They've got a lot of   
oil and gas and stuff in Alberta, my dad says. It's kind of like Texas   
with snow. Edmonton's in Alberta. It's kind of a cow town, I guess.  
  
Asaba: [still confused] Who are these people they're talking about? And   
what's with the flapping heads? Creeping me out...  
  
Kano: Oh, Jacques Parizeau's from Quebec. He's a fat butt, that's all   
you need to know. The flapping heads is just the character design. Flow   
with it.  
  
[Caption: IRONY ALERT: THE VIEWS OF THE CHARACTERS ARE NOT NECESSARILY   
THOSE OF THE AUTHOR. THE AUTHOR IS ACTUALLY FOND OF STOCKWELL DAY]  
  
Asaba: What about the other guy? Is he gay or something?  
  
[Caption: NO, NOT LIKE THAT, YOU PERVERTS]  
  
Kano: Nah, he's just way too purdy for his own good. He, like, posed in   
wetsuits and stuff. He's a politician. Ottawa's the capital of Canada.   
I read on the net that he's actually real religious and he doesn't like   
gay people, or something.  
  
[Close up on (now normal) Asaba's face. He seems to be thinking about   
that.]  
  
Asaba: Huh.   
  
[Beat; there might be another irritating laugh from Terrance and   
Phillip. He looks to his left, towards Kano.]  
  
Asaba: How do you know all this stuff anyway?  
  
[SD Kano suddenly gets in his face, a superior grin on her face. Asaba   
moves back, unnerved, gritting his teeth.]  
  
[Caption: THE AUTHOR FOR HIS PART WATCHES CBC WINDSOR. GO AIR FARCE!]  
  
Kano: [her finger in the air; creepy] Isn't the Internet wonderful?  
  
[Cut back to Terrance and Phillip, still in the snowdrift.]  
  
Phillip: Everything about Quebec sucks ass, Terrance! I want to go to   
Los Angeles where I can be a porn star! And it doesn't snow and people   
don't kick your ass because you can't speak French!   
  
Terrance: Never fear Phillip! We can fly there right now!  
  
Phillip: I am not flying Air Canada, Terrance! That's a fate worse than   
death!  
  
Terrance: Don't be silly Phillip! I have a better idea!   
  
[He pulls his hand out of the snow. Close up on his hand. In it is a   
Styrofoam cup crammed with gravy covered French fries.]  
  
Phillip: [off] What's that, Terrance?  
  
Terrance: [off] Just a little something I picked up at the dépanneur,   
mon ami!  
  
[Cut back to SD Kano and SD Asaba. Kano is snickering expectantly.]  
  
Kano: Oh yes. This is the good bit...  
  
Asaba: What's a dépanneur?  
  
Kano: A quickie-mart. [points at the screen] That's a bowl of poutine.  
  
Asaba: [looking at his food] What I'm eating now?  
  
Kano: Yipper!   
  
[Cut back to Terrance and Phillip, still in the snowdrift. Terrance has   
freed his other hand; he munches on the poutine for a moment.]  
  
Terrance: [suddenly] Poutine Power!  
  
[He lets off an enormous fart and flies off into the air and off   
screen. Phillip looks up into the air after him.]  
  
Phillip: Terrance! Wait for me!  
  
[Now both SD Kano and SD Asaba are laughing irritatingly at the head of   
the futon.]  
  
Kano: [looking up to him] See? You're getting it now! See?  
  
Asaba: [suddenly worried, looking at the poutine] Does it give you gas   
that bad?  
  
Kano: I don't think so...  
  
[Cut back to the TV screen, far enough away that we can see the   
bodyboard. The "eyecatch" is back on the screen.]  
  
Announcer: [VO, from TV] Coming up on _Terrance and Phillip_, special   
guest Nanami Kiryu, la Fillette Québécoise!  
  
Asaba: [a bit worried suddenly] This is kind of crass, you know. Do   
your folks let you watch this?  
  
Kano: I got them all hooked. [titters] Yukino's a bigger fan than I am.  
  
[During the following dialogue the TV should be heard more faintly in   
the back ground, with occasional laughter from Terrance and Phillip ad   
lib.]  
  
[Shot of Normal Kano's and Normal Asaba's legs on the futon. Asaba's   
hand puts down the lunch box in between them.]  
  
Asaba: Thanks for the food.  
  
[Shot from right profile of Normal Asaba leaning up against the wall,   
his face turned to Kano to his left (off screen). He is smiling   
gratefully.]  
  
Asaba: The truth is I've never had a girl bring me dinner before.  
  
[Shot from left profile of Normal Kano leaning up against the wall, her   
face to Asaba to her right (off screen). She is blushing.]  
  
Kano: Oh no?  
  
[Cut back to Asaba. He is no longer smiling.]  
  
Asaba: Seriously, I really appreciate it. I don't have a lot of money   
right now, so I haven't been eating that great as it is...  
  
[Cut back to Kano. Her face has fallen; she is looking at her lap,   
thinking about that.]  
  
Kano: Huh. [beat] So, like, you haven't eaten all day?  
  
[Cut back to Asaba.]  
  
Asaba: That was my first decent meal in two days.  
  
[Cut back to Kano. She is looking towards Asaba again, looking   
horrified.]  
  
Kano: Oh my God! That's terrible, Asaba!  
  
[Cut back to Asaba. He is no longer looking at Kano; his eyes are shut,   
his head bowed.]  
  
Asaba: Yep, I guess it is.  
  
[Shot of the inside of the door, on which hangs a Hideaki Asaba Dinner   
Show poster.]  
  
Asaba: [off] I'm one of those lucky people who get to choose between   
eating and having a roof over their head. Of course I'm behind on the   
rent too, as usual. The manager probably told you that, right?  
  
Kano: [off] Actually, yeah.  
  
[Shot of the ceiling, where the bulb hangs precariously.]  
  
Asaba: [off] Figures. She'll tell anyone who'll listen who's behind on   
their rent.  
  
[Front view of (normal) Kano and Asaba from the end of the futon. Asaba   
is now lying flat on the futon, while Kano, who is still sitting up,   
looks down at him.]   
  
Asaba: It's not like I can even go to Soichiro's place and bum food off   
him any more. That's what I used to do when things got tight. His folks   
were never there, so I could hang out as much as I liked. Now that his   
dad's quit his job at the hospital, Soichiro's folks are there all the   
time, so I can't go over as often. [beat] It always pissed Soichiro   
off,   
but he let me come in and eat his food anyway. _And_ he covered for me.   
He's pretty cool that way.  
  
Kano: I thought your dad sent you money, though...  
  
Asaba: Yeah. Not enough, though. You don't understand, my dad hates my   
guts. I don't want to talk about it right now...[yawns; he might   
stretch a bit]...I'm full for once and I want to enjoy it while I can.   
  
[Beat.]  
  
Kano: You know, you really shouldn't be living like this.  
  
[View from above of Asaba, his hands tucked behind his head, staring at   
the ceiling.]  
  
Asaba: Nobody should be living like this, kid. People spend their whole   
lives living like this, right here. Just hope and pray you never have   
to. I'll tell you this, it beats the street any day.  
  
[Front view of Kano and Asaba from the end of the futon.]  
  
Kano: Asaba! You can't stay here! This place isn't fit for a pig!  
  
Asaba: [dismissive] Yeah, well, find me a place that is fit for a pig   
and we'll talk, okay?  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Kano: [gently] Say.  
  
[View from above of Asaba, his hands tucked behind his head, staring at   
the ceiling. He looks up to his left, at Kano.]  
  
Asaba: What is it?  
  
[Front view of Kano, looking down to her right towards Asaba (off   
camera).]  
  
Kano: Do you want to come live with us?  
  
[View from above of Asaba, looking up at Kano, a surprised look on his   
face.]  
  
Asaba: With who?  
  
[Front view of Kano looking straight to the right at Asaba (who will   
have just sat up).]  
  
Kano: With us. With the Miyazawas. We're your friends. You can stay as   
long as you like. It wouldn't be a problem.  
  
[Shot of Asaba from left, who has propped himself up on his right arm,   
looking at Kano.]  
  
Asaba: You don't say.  
  
[Front view of Kano looking expectantly at Asaba.]  
  
Kano: So, you want to?  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[Asaba slumps back down on the futon, his left hand on his forehead,   
his eyes shut, and starts laughing loudly.]  
  
[Close of Kano's face, looking upset.]  
  
Kano: Hey, what's so funny?  
  
[Close up of SD Asaba's face, wiping a tear from his eye.]  
  
Asaba: [recovering] You have no fucking clue, do you? Do you have any   
idea what your dad'd say? You know what he's like!  
  
[Cut to Kano and Asaba standing in a field of lilies.]  
  
[CAPTION: DRAMATIZATION]  
  
Asaba: Ah! What kindness! How can I possibly refuse you?  
  
Kano: [puckering up] Kiss me you fool!  
  
[They embrace.]  
  
Asaba: Oh Kano...  
  
Kano: [breathily] Oh Asaba...  
  
[Suddenly SD Mr. Miyazawa, wearing his "Japan's Greatest Dad" shirt and   
with the _otoko_ "man" character written on his forehead, falls out of   
the sky and lands on their heads, knocking both to the ground.]  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: Over my dead body!  
  
[Mr. Miyazawa pulls Asaba to his feet and shakes him around.]  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: No way in hell is any mere man living under the same roof   
as my little princesses! If you want my Kano you'll have to fight me to   
the death!  
  
[Shot of SD Mr. Miyazawa, dressed in a Student Council outfit from   
_Utena_ (or rather _Nanami_), at left, SD Asaba in Nanami's blue   
fleurdelisé outfit, at right, and SD Kano, looking _very_ cute in a   
blue Rose (or rather Lily) Bride outfit at center, standing in the   
field of lilies. Mr. Miyazawa and Asaba are holding swords. Kano   
affixes a rose to Mr. Miyazawa's lapel, then a lily to Asaba's, and   
then stands back as they engage in swordplay as comically as possible.]  
  
Mr. Miyazawa:  
[ad lib.] Hoh! Hah! Thrust! Parry! Spin!  
Asaba:  
  
[The scene is pushed up off screen with one finger on the left hand by   
SD Asaba, at right, who is explaining all this to SD Kano, left,   
wagging his right index finger demonstratively.]  
  
Asaba: ...and stuff. So you see, it probably wouldn't work out.  
  
Kano: [genuinely surprised] What, you think?  
  
[Cut to normal Asaba slumping back down on the futon, his left hand on   
his forehead still, but no longer smiling.]  
  
Asaba: Come on, Kano, what are your folks running anyway, some kind of   
halfway house for teens or something? If I ever need one of those   
there's one a couple of blocks from here, and I don't intend on going   
there any time soon.  
  
[View from below (from Asaba's viewpoint) of Kano looking down at   
Asaba.]  
  
Kano: But I just thought...  
  
[Front view of Kano and Asaba from the end of the futon, Asaba lying   
down, Kano sitting up and looking down towards him.]  
  
Asaba: I know what you thought, and don't think I don't appreciate it,   
but I can take care of myself, all right? [beat] I just choose not to.   
[beat] Look, you don't understand, all right? A lot of this is my own   
fault. My dad didn't throw me out, I left of my own free will. Of   
course at the time I didn't know what I was in for, but that doesn't   
matter now. I don't know why he keeps sending me money, even. [beat]   
I'd actually have enough to live on if I was more careful with my cash   
flow and I could hold a job for more than two weeks on end, but I can't   
do either of those. When I actually have money to spare I end up   
blowing it on things like body-boards and shit.  
  
[Shot of the body-board leaning on the TV.]  
  
Asaba: [off] I'll say this, though, it helps the TV reception.  
  
Kano: [off] What about the Hideaki Asaba Dinner Show? Didn't you get   
any money from that?  
  
Asaba: [off] Yeah, some. 'Course, at the time I was even farther behind   
on my rent than I am right now. It was either the Dinner Show or the   
street. 'Sides, it was pretty easy work. [suddenly laughs] Come on.   
Give me some credit for self-respect, all right?   
  
[Beat.]   
  
[On the TV Phillip farts loudly, and Terrance and Phillip fall over   
laughing.]  
  
Asaba: [off; going on] So, you see, I've done some pretty dumb things,   
and so I've had to do some other dumb things to get myself out of it.  
  
Kano: [off; hesitant] Did you ever steal stuff?  
  
Asaba: [off; without shame] A few times, yeah. Nothing big, though.   
Mostly shoplifted food from quickie-marts and stuff, when I was really   
desperate. Wish I could say maintaining my girlish figure was more   
effort than it was, but...[dismissing the subject] Look, point is, I   
get by somehow.  
  
[Cut back to Asaba's right profile, from waist up, lying on the futon.   
His hands are back under his head, and he has resumed looking at the   
ceiling.]  
  
Asaba: Don't tell your sister this, but when Soichiro ran out on his   
folks   
New Year's Eve I offered to let him stay here. He's looked after me   
enough, I'm gonna have to return the favor some time.   
  
[View from below (from Asaba's viewpoint) of Kano looking down at   
Asaba.]  
  
Asaba: [off] I dunno. Maybe I just need someone around to tell me   
what's what now and again. Soichiro's pretty good at that.   
  
Kano: [looking concerned] Huh.  
  
[SD Kano suddenly appears in an inset in the upper left of the screen,   
grinning like mad.]  
  
SD Kano: An opening!  
  
[Cut back to Asaba's right profile, from waist up, lying on the futon,   
his hands behind his head.]  
  
Asaba: 'Course, he has your sis to set _him_ straight, that's probably   
why he went to your place instead. [Beat.] Actually, I'm sure that's   
why he went to your place instead. Your sis can set pretty much anyone   
straight. [smiles, laughs a bit] She's weird. Crazy as hell one minute,   
Mother Teresa the next...but she's cool.  
  
[View from below (from Asaba's viewpoint) of Kano looking down at   
Asaba. She is trying to smile and laugh a bit, but she clearly didn't   
like what she heard somehow.]  
  
Kano: Yeah. I hear that a lot...  
  
[Cut back to Asaba's right profile, from waist up, lying on the futon,   
his hands behind his head. He has turned his head to look in Kano's   
direction.]  
  
Asaba: Anyway, I can't hold a job to save my life. I lost my last job   
two weeks ago, that's why I can't pay the rent. Wanna know how I lost   
my job?  
  
[View from below (from Asaba's viewpoint) of Kano looking down at   
Asaba.]  
  
Kano: How?  
  
[Front view of Kano and Asaba from the end of the futon, Asaba lying   
down, Kano sitting up and looking down towards him.]  
  
Asaba: You gotta realize, I only got it because the boss's daughter   
thought I was hot, and she begged and pleaded with her old man to give   
me the job. I was okay at it, I guess--he never complained about my   
work too much, anyway--but then I guess the daughter finally got up the   
courage to ask me to be her boyfriend. Fact was I didn't find her very   
attractive, so I, like a dumbass, said no. Of course I knew I'd only   
got the job because she liked me, but I didn't think of that 'til it   
was too late. [beat] Anyway, I guess she got pissed off and told her   
old man--actually I still don't know what she told him, but I show up   
for work one day and he chases me out, telling me that, quote, "if I   
ever dared try anything funny," unquote, with his daughter again he'd   
kill me with his bare hands. [beat] So like I said, I've done a lot of   
dumb things.  
  
Kano: [humphing a bit] That wasn't very nice. What she did, I mean. You   
didn't have to go out with her.  
  
Asaba: Well, _no_, technically I didn't, but if I had I'd have food   
today. I could have gone out with her until I found another job or she   
got tired of me, but like I said, I was a dumbass. See what I have to   
deal with?  
  
Kano: Oh. [beat] So why did you say no?  
  
Asaba: I was a dumbass. [beat] Specifically? At school I'm always   
getting asked for dates. I always say no, without thinking about it. I   
just wasn't thinking.   
  
[View from below (from Asaba's viewpoint) of Kano looking down at   
Asaba. She has perked up a bit too much.]  
  
Kano: So you don't have a girlfriend?  
  
[Cut back to Asaba's right profile, from waist up, lying on the futon,   
his hands behind his head. He has turned back to the ceiling.]  
  
Asaba: Nope. None of them do anything for me, somehow.  
  
[View from below of Kano looking down at Asaba.]   
  
Kano: You don't say. Huh.   
  
[SD Kano appears in her inset at upper left, grinning.]  
  
SD Kano: Oh yes oh yes! Move in for the kill!  
  
[Cut back to Asaba's right profile, from waist up, lying on the futon,   
his hands behind his head. He has turned his head to look in Kano's   
direction.]  
  
Asaba: Surprised? [smiles] Bet you thought I had a whole harem or   
something, huh?  
  
[Cut to a shot of SD Asaba and SD Arima, dressed in togas, surrounded   
on all sides by cute girls in Hokuei High uniforms.]  
  
Girls: [VO; ecstatic] ASABA! ARIMA! MAKE US YOUR OWN!   
  
Asaba: [VO] I was actually going to set up a harem with Soichiro...  
  
[SD Yukino walks on screen, pulls a club out of hammer-space, clubs SD   
Arima over the head and drags him off. SD Asaba starts to cry like a   
baby.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] ...but then Soichiro got himself an actual girlfriend, so I   
kind of lost interest. It'd be no fun without him.  
  
[Cut to front view of Kano's head and shoulders. She is covering her   
mouth, stifling a laugh.]  
  
Kano: [tittering] That's funny.  
  
[SD Kano pops up in her inset, getting impatient.]  
  
SD Kano: Well, what are you waiting for? Next question on the   
checklist!  
  
Kano: [to Asaba, a bit too cheerfully] So, like, there really isn't   
anybody you like?  
  
[View from above of Asaba, turning back to look at the ceiling.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Asaba: Yeah, actually there is.  
  
[Still of close up of pencil drawing of Kano's face, looking   
thunderstruck.]  
  
[View from above of Asaba, looking at the ceiling.]  
  
Asaba: Does that surprise you?  
  
[Left profile of Kano. She has turned away from Asaba and taken to   
staring at the end of the futon.]  
  
[Front view of Kano. She slowly draws herself up into a fetal position,   
looking miserable.]  
  
Kano: Is she pretty?  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[Close up on Asaba's face. He seems to be hesitating, not sure how to   
answer. At last, however, the uncertainty in his face seems to   
dissolve.]  
  
Asaba: The most beautiful girl I've ever met. [beat] The only one I   
ever loved.  
  
[Front view of Kano in her fetal position.]  
  
Kano: She must be something else. [beat] Do I know her?  
  
[Close up on Asaba's face.]  
  
Asaba: Your sister knows her pretty well.   
  
[Front view of Kano in her fetal position.]  
  
Kano: Does she know you like her?  
  
[Close up on Asaba's face.]  
  
Asaba: Who? Your sis?  
  
Kano: [off] No! The girl.  
  
Asaba: Yeah, she knows. [beat] But it's kind of a secret. So I can't   
tell you who it is either.  
  
[Front view of Kano in her fetal position.]  
  
Kano: Oh. Okay. [beat] But she doesn't like you back?  
  
[Close up on Asaba's face.]  
  
Asaba: No. But that isn't the point really.  
  
[Front view of Kano and Asaba from the end of the futon, Asaba lying   
down, Kano in her fetal position.]  
  
Asaba: [narrative] I first met her in the first year of junior high.  
  
[Fade out drone from TV. Dissolve to white.]  
  
[White screen, blank except for a bar down the middle, in which is   
drawn in black ink a full-length picture of a girl standing in a summer   
school uniform, her hands folded in front of her. She has black, wavy   
shoulder-length hair; however, she has no facial features, except for a   
kind smile. For the duration of this scene all drawings are in black   
ink, without any other color but black unless specifically stated,   
except for blushes, which are in red. However, shading may be used   
where appropriate.]  
  
[Close up (within the bar) of the girl, still smiling, from the waist   
up.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] Everybody loved her. [laughs a bit] All the boys, anyway.   
She was friends with every girl in the school too.  
  
[White screen, this time with a horizontal bar, wide enough to show a   
shot of a well appointed house, similar to the Arimas' perhaps.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] Her parents were very rich. I don't know what she was doing   
at our school.   
  
[Vertical bar. Still of the girl cheerfully chatting with some other   
girls and boys; they themselves are all wearing dark winter uniforms,   
while she keeps her summer uniform. None of these have any facial   
features either, except for smiles.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] No doubt about it, she was queen of the school. She even   
looked like a princess.  
  
Kano: [VO; reflective] Sounds a bit like Yukino.  
  
Asaba: [VO] Yeah, I suppose you could say that.  
  
[Vertical bar. Full length shot of Asaba, in a dark winter uniform,   
which he will wear throughout the scene.]  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up on Asaba from the waist up. He, alone of all   
the characters in this scene, has a complete face. It is not quite the   
face we know, however; it is younger, softer, perhaps as it was at age   
13, 14 at most.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] I fell in love with her the moment I saw her.  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up on girl's head and shoulders.]  
  
[Caption at right, small, black type: "Hello, Hideaki. How are you   
today?" Her mouth does not move.]  
  
[Vertical bar. Still of Asaba standing at left, looking thrilled but   
apprehensive, blushing a bit (in red), his hand behind his head, in   
front of the girl, right, perhaps in a classroom.]  
  
[Caption at left, small, black type: "Oh, okay, I guess..."  
  
[Caption at right: "Have you eaten your lunch yet?"]  
  
Asaba: [VO] I don't know why, but she paid more attention to me than to   
most.  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up of Asaba from waist up, blushing.]  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up of the girl, kindly smiling.]  
  
[Caption at right: "I have a bit too much, I think. I thought we might   
share it."]  
  
Asaba: [VO] Call it noblesse oblige or whatever, but she sort of took   
me under her wing. I guess I looked like I needed it.   
  
[Horizontal bar. Shot of Asaba's head as he walks through a crowd of   
completely faceless people, shaded in dark gray.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] Even then I was alone.  
  
[Horizontal bar. Still of Asaba and the girl sharing the lunch.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] At any rate, we became friends, and I got to know her   
fairly well.  
  
[Horizontal bar. Still of Asaba and the girl sitting on a patch of   
grass, perhaps a school lawn, chatting and laughing.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] The more I saw of her the more I loved her...  
  
[Horizontal bar. Close up of head and shoulders of Asaba, left, and the   
girl, right. They are laughing at some funny story of Asaba's; Asaba is   
gesticulating ad lib., while the girl covers her mouth with her right   
hand to stifle her laughter.]  
  
[Caption at top left: "Ha ha ha!"]  
  
[Caption at bottom right: "Oh my! I hadn't heard _that_!"  
  
Asaba: [VO] ...and it was obvious she was genuinely fond of me.  
  
[Horizontal bar. Still from waist up of two boys in winter uniforms   
whispering to each other and pointing at something off camera. The boy   
at left looks disturbed; the boy at right is laughing, as if it were a   
joke.]  
  
[Caption at top left: "That better not be what it looks like, man."]  
  
[Caption at bottom right: "Nah, couldn't be. What, you jealous? Ha ha   
ha!"]  
  
Asaba: [VO] I guess it got to the point where people started to talk.  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up of girl from waist up, still smiling. Her hair   
might be blowing in the breeze.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] But if it bothered her, she never let on to me...  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up of Asaba, blushing but smiling himself.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] ...and I know it never bothered me.  
  
[Horizontal bar. Asaba, left, blushing, hand behind head, stands before   
the girl, apparently asking something. Her mouth is missing from her   
face.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] Somehow, though, I had to find out if she loved me too.  
  
[Horizontal bar. Close up on Asaba, still blushing.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] Call me naive if you like, but for some reason I was sure   
the best place to do it would be at my boarding house.  
  
[Caption at bottom left: "Would you like to come to my home on   
Sunday?"]  
  
Asaba: [VO] So, instead of asking her on a date, which I could not   
afford anyway, I asked her over to my place, several times.  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up on the girl's head and shoulders. Her mouth is   
in an O; there is a tinge of regret in the expression.]  
  
[Caption at right: "I'm afraid I can't. Perhaps another time."]  
  
Asaba: [VO] But she always said no...  
  
[Vertical bar. Full length still of the girl, her back to the camera,   
walking away.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] ...so at last I quit asking her, sure she would never   
agree...  
  
[Vertical bar. Full length still of Asaba, his hands in his pockets,   
black background (within the bar)]  
  
Asaba: [VO] There was only one conclusion you could draw, that she   
didn't like me after all, and that was that.  
  
[Vertical bar. Shot of a black-and-white ink drawing of the inside of   
Asaba's room. In the background, Asaba, still in uniform, is lying on   
his futon.]  
  
[Horizontal bar. Close up of Asaba from the waist up, lying on his   
futon, his hands behind his head.]  
  
[SFX: Knocking at the door.]  
  
[Asaba turns to look.]  
  
[Vertical bar. Asaba is standing inside the door, having opened it to   
see who is there.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] Then one winter evening...  
  
[Vertical bar. Full length shot of the girl, in a beautiful white   
kimono with a flower motif (the flowers shaded ad lib.).]  
  
Asaba: [VO] ...there she was.  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up of the two kneeling on the futon, Asaba at the   
head (left), the girl at the foot (right).]  
  
Asaba: [VO] She would not tell me the details, but apparently she had   
had a falling out with her family, and she had run away.  
  
[Horizontal bar. Shot of the girl's head and shoulders. Her mouth is   
open in supplication.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] She did not want to go home that night, so she had come to   
me, because at least there she was sure she would be safe.  
  
[Caption at top right: "I don't mean to impose, but may I stay here   
tonight?"]  
  
[Horizontal bar. Shot of Asaba's head and shoulders. He is blushing,   
clearly not knowing what to do or say.]  
  
[Caption at bottom left: "Of...of course! Stay as long as you like."]  
  
[Vertical bar. The two sit at the head of the futon, apparently   
watching TV.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] We stayed up long into the night, watching TV...  
  
[Vertical bar. Front view of the two sitting at the end of the futon.   
The girl, left, is covering her mouth to stifle a laugh; Asaba is   
cheering something on.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] ...talking, laughing, having more fun than I thought was   
humanly possible.  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up of the shoulders of the two pressed close   
together.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] I should have been thinking indecent thoughts, but I   
wasn't. I just felt more comfortable than I ever had in my life.  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up of the girl's head; she apparently is looking   
up at Asaba to ask a question. Her mouth is slightly open, slightly   
smiling.]  
  
[Caption at left: "What is it, Hideaki?"]  
  
Asaba: [VO] Just having her there was enough. I wanted nothing else.  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up of Asaba's head. He is blushing, smiling, his   
mouth closed.]  
  
[Caption at right: "Nothing really."]  
  
Asaba: [VO] I had never been so happy.  
  
[Vertical bar. Black background in the bar, in which is drawn or etched   
in white a picture of the room. The girl is curled up demurely in the   
futon, while Asaba is in the chair, still in his clothes, slumped   
across the rickety table, fast asleep.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] I gave her the futon and slept in the chair as best I   
could.  
  
[Vertical bar. The "negative" of the room has reverted to the   
"positive" (black on white) with the coming of the day. Asaba is   
standing just beside the chair, his back to the camera, while the girl,   
still in her kimono, stands before him.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] In the morning--or rather the early afternoon--my dream   
ended.  
  
[Vertical bar. Shot from waist up of the girl in her kimono. Her hair   
is a bit mussed. Her mouth is open, apologetic.]  
  
[Caption to right: "I really should go. My parents must be wondering   
where I am."]  
  
Asaba: [VO] She excused herself and prepared to leave.  
  
[Vertical bar. Shot from waist up of Asaba, gently protesting.]  
  
[Caption at left: "Do you really have to go? Are you sure you want to   
go back?"]  
  
Asaba: [VO] I asked her to stay longer, but she insisted...  
  
[Vertical bar. Cut back to the girl. She is now smiling, reassuringly.]  
  
[Caption at right: "It's all right. Don't worry about me. They're   
probably worried sick. They're good people, really."]  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up on the girl's head. She is smiling the same   
smile.]  
  
[Caption at right: "Thank you for everything. Goodbye now."]  
  
Asaba: [VO] ...and she headed for the door.  
  
[Horizontal bar. The girl passes Asaba and heads for the door.]  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up on Asaba's face. He is shouting something at   
the girl.]  
  
[Caption at left: "WAIT!"]  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up of Asaba grabbing the girl's wrist.]  
  
[Vertical bar. Still of the girl from Asaba's perspective, turning   
back, her mouth expressing surprise, if not shock.]  
  
[Vertical bar. Still of Asaba from the girl's perspective, his face   
pleading.]  
  
[Caption at left: "Please, don't go. Stay with me."]  
  
Asaba: [VO] I begged her not to go, but she wouldn't listen.   
  
[Vertical bar. Close up of the girl's head and shoulders, her mouth   
apprehensive.]  
  
[Caption at right: "I have to go! We'll both get into trouble with my   
parents if I don't!"]  
  
Asaba: [VO] She insisted she had to go home.  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up on Asaba's face. His expression is tender.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] But I told her I didn't want her to go home, I wanted her   
to stay with me.  
  
[Caption at top left: "Forget about them. We'll take care of each other   
from now on."]  
  
[Caption at bottom left: "I want you to stay with me."]  
  
Asaba: [VO] She did not seem to understand. Perhaps she had never   
realized just what she meant to me.  
  
[Vertical bar. Close of on the girl's face. Her mouth betrays   
incomprehension.]  
  
[Caption at top right: "What?"]  
  
Asaba: [VO] I tried to explain why I thought we belonged together, but   
still she did not understand.  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up on Asaba's face.]  
  
[Caption at top left: "You are like me. I have no family any more   
either. We'll be each other's family."]  
  
[Vertical bar. Close of on the girl's face. Her mouth now betrays   
horror.]  
  
[Caption at top right: "What are you talking about?"]  
  
Asaba: [VO] There was only one way to make her understand.  
  
[Horizontal bar. Close up of the bottom of Asaba's mouth. It mouths the   
words:  
  
[Caption at bottom: "I love you."]  
  
[SFX: The sound of a person roughly hugging another.]  
  
[Vertical bar. Full length shot of Asaba embracing the girl in her   
kimono.]  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up of Asaba and the girl from the waist up, Asaba   
kissing the girl deeply. Her arms hang limp.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] I took her in my arms and kissed her as deeply as I could.  
  
[The girl's arms rise.]  
  
[Vertical bar, black background. Close up of the girl's hands shoving   
Asaba's body back.]  
  
[SFX: A girl's scream.]  
  
[Caption at left: "NO!"]  
  
[Caption at right: "LEAVE ME ALONE!"]  
  
[SFX: Someone slapping another's face.]  
  
[Vertical bar, black background. Close up of Asaba's face, a stunned   
expression on his face. His left cheek is reddening from being   
slapped.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] She shoved me away, slapped me hard, told me to let her   
go...  
  
[Vertical bar. Full length shot of the girl running out the door.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] ...and she ran away crying.  
  
[Vertical bar, black background. Asaba stands stunned, nursing his   
cheek.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] I did not stop her from leaving. I finally knew her true   
feelings.  
  
[Vertical bar, white background. Full length shot of the girl, now in a   
dark winter uniform, books in her folded hands before her, a friendly   
smile on her face as before.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] The next day she greeted me at school, trying to act as if   
nothing had happened.  
  
[Caption at right: "Hello, Hideaki! How are you?"]  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up on the girl's face. On closer inspection the   
smile is not so much friendly as a mask of apprehension.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] But it was clear she no longer trusted me. You could tell   
how tense she became when I went near her.  
  
[Horizontal bar. Still of Asaba and the girl eating lunch. The girl is   
silent, on guard, no longer smiling.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] She still let me stay around her, but she no longer made me   
feel welcome.  
  
[Horizontal bar. The girl is talking to another girl, at her left.]  
  
[Caption at bottom left: "I never see you with Hideaki any more. Aren't   
you friends any more? Did you have a fight?"  
  
[Caption at top right: "What do you mean? I never really liked him that   
much. I just felt sorry for him."]  
  
[Horizontal bar. Asaba is in the foreground left, listening to the   
girls in the background right.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] Rather I was an embarrassment.  
  
[Vertical bar, black background. Asaba sits curled in a fetal position   
on the ground.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] That should have been the end of the story, of our story.   
For a while, it could have been the end of mine.  
  
[Horizontal bar. Shot of Asaba's head as he walks through a crowd of   
completely faceless people, shaded in dark gray. His head is hung, his   
expression grim.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] Somehow, though, I managed to stay alive, perhaps only   
because I had not the inner strength to kill myself.  
  
[Asaba looks up, to his right.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] In any case, that wasn't the end of our story after all.   
There was a twist that made for a surprise ending.  
  
[Vertical bar. Full length shot of the girl in her summer uniform,   
left, walking along, holding the hand of a boy in a summer uniform,   
right. The boy has no facial features aside from a mouth; his most   
distinguishing characteristic is short, red hair.]  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up on the boy's head and shoulders. He is smiling   
endearingly in the direction of the girl.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] Eventually my princess found love of her own. It was, as   
they say, a match made in heaven.  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up on the girl's head and shoulders. She is   
smiling endearingly in the direction of the boy.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] It was obvious, even to me, how taken she was by him.  
  
[Vertical bar. Still of the boy cheerfully chatting with some other   
girls and boys; all are now in summer uniforms.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] If my darling was the queen of my class, he was the king.   
All the younger boys admired him, the older boys liked him, and all the   
girls adored him. He was a perfect scholar and a great athlete.  
  
[Vertical bar. Still of Asaba standing at a corner of a corridor,   
glaring. He is still in his winter uniform.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] I hated him.  
  
[Horizontal bar. Shot of Asaba, right, standing behind the boy, left.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] I thought him vain and superficial, unworthy of the praise   
everybody lavished on him, least of all of my princess's love.  
  
[Asaba taps the boy on the shoulder. The boy turns.]  
  
[Caption at bottom left: "Hello! You must be Hideaki Asaba! Charmed!"]  
  
Asaba: [VO] So one day I went up to him and I told him so.  
  
[Vertical bar. Asaba looks down at the boy with disdain.]  
  
[Caption at top right: "Everyone around here seems to think you're hot   
shit. I don't."]  
  
[Vertical bar. Full length shot of Asaba walking down the corridor.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] And I walked away.  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up of the boy's head and shoulders. His mouth is a   
scowl.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] After that we were enemies.  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up of a cup of coffee being dispensed.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] He picked fights with me whenever he could, and I picked   
fights with him. Not even real fights, just petty little things.  
  
[Asaba's hand reaches for the coffee from the right, but suddenly the   
cup is snatched away by a hand from the left.]  
  
[Horizontal bar. Asaba looks to the left of the dispenser, taken   
aback.]  
  
[Horizontal bar. Asaba is staring, left background. The red-haired boy   
is in the right foreground, sipping the coffee.]  
  
[Vertical bar. Full length shot of the boy, his back turned, walking   
away with the coffee.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] For instance, he would steal drinks right out of my hand   
just to annoy me...  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up of a bowl of ramen.]  
  
[A hand holds a pair of chopsticks over the ramen, but suddenly the   
bowl is snatched away by Asaba's hands.]  
  
[Horizontal bar. The boy looks to his left.]  
  
[Horizontal bar. The boy is staring, left background. Asaba is in the   
right foreground, cradling the bowl in one arm and eating with   
chopsticks with the opposite hand.]  
  
[Vertical bar. Full length shot of Asaba, his back turned, walking away   
with the ramen.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] So I responded in kind by stealing his food. Eventually I   
did such things without even thinking about them too hard. In an odd   
way I came to enjoy the game.  
  
[Horizontal bar. Asaba is walking down the corridor, smiling to   
himself.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] One day my princess confronted me...  
  
[Vertical bar. Shot from the waist up of the girl, scowling.]  
  
[Vertical bar. Shot from the waist up of Asaba, surprised.]  
  
[Caption at left: "Oh, hi."]  
  
Asaba: [VO] ...and told me to leave her friend alone.  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up of the girl's head and shoulders. Her mouth is   
shouting angrily.]  
  
[Caption at right: "If you hurt him on my account, I'll never forgive   
you!"]  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up of Asaba's head. Now he is the one scowling.]  
  
[Vertical bar. Full length of the girl walking up some stairs.]  
  
[Vertical bar. Shot of Asaba looking up the stairs.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] So finally I asked her...  
  
Asaba: [calling up stairs, to girl; angrily] What do you see in him   
anyway?  
  
[Vertical bar. Full length of the girl looking back at Asaba.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] She replied...  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up of the girl's head and shoulders.]  
  
Girl: [contralto; evenly] You of all people should know. He doesn't   
want anything from me.  
  
[Vertical bar. Full length of the girl continuing up the stairs.]  
  
[Vertical bar. Shot of Asaba looking up the stairs, no longer   
scowling.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] I thought about that for a long time, and I still do.  
  
[Horizontal bar. Asaba, left, and the red-haired boy, right, meet in a   
corridor.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] For his part her friend had tired of my harassment...  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up of the boy's head and shoulders. His mouth   
betrays anger.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] ...and said so in no uncertain terms.  
  
[Caption to right: "Answer me something. Has all this crap got   
something to do with my girlfriend?"]  
  
[Vertical bar. Asaba from the waist up, looking superior.]  
  
[Caption at left: "It took you this long to figure it out?"]  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up of the boy's head and shoulders.]  
  
[Caption at right: "How petty and self-centered are you, anyway?"]  
  
[Vertical bar. Asaba from the waist up.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] So I challenged him to prove he was more worthy of her than   
I was.  
  
[Caption at top left: "No more than you."]  
  
[Caption at bottom left: "Prove me wrong and I'll give up on her and   
leave you alone."]   
  
[Vertical bar. Full length shot of Asaba walking away.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] How seriously he took my challenge I don't know, but I had   
my answer sooner than I thought I would.  
  
[Vertical bar. Shot of the clock at Cinema Cinecitta.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] At the time I had a job working Sunday afternoons at   
Cinecitta.  
  
[Vertical bar. Asaba, in street clothes, is walking on the sidewalk   
near the cinema.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] I had just gotten off work, and was headed back home when I   
saw him outside the cinema.  
  
[Vertical bar. The red-haired boy, himself in street clothes, is coming   
out of a phone booth.]  
  
[Vertical bar. Shot of the boy's right profile from waist up. He checks   
a watch; his expression is dejected.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] He looked like he'd been there quite a while.  
  
[Horizontal bar. Asaba, left, taps the boy, right, on the shoulder.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] So more out of habit than anything else I went up to him to   
give him a hard time.  
  
[Vertical bar. Shot of the boy turning to look at Asaba.]  
  
[Vertical bar. Shot of Asaba looking at the boy, his hands in his   
pockets, smirking.]  
  
[Caption at top left: "Hey. Fancy meeting you here."]  
  
Asaba: [VO] So I tapped him on the shoulder and asked him, just to   
annoy him...  
  
Asaba: "Did she stand you up or what? How long have you been here?"  
  
[Vertical bar. Shot of the boy's head and shoulders. His mouth yells at   
Asaba, less out of anger than of distress.]  
  
[Caption at left: "Try two goddamn hours, asshole! I've been here two   
hours waiting for her and the last thing I need right now is your   
shit!"]  
  
[Caption at right: "What's the matter with you anyway? Just 'cause   
every girl in the school wants you, you think you're better than me or   
something?"]  
  
[Vertical bar. Shot of Asaba looking at the boy, taken aback.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] It turned out he'd been there waiting for her for two   
hours, and when he said so he looked like he was about to cry. It hit   
me--would I have been that devoted to her myself?  
  
[Vertical bar. Asaba, left foreground, bows low to the red-haired boy.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] Right there I apologized for everything I'd done. At first   
he thought I was making fun of him again...  
  
[Caption at left: "Look, I'm sorry. I had you all wrong..."]  
  
[Caption at right: "What's with all the kiss-ass?"]  
  
[Vertical bar. Front view of Asaba looking hesitant, unsure what to   
say.]  
  
[Caption at left: "Listen, this may sound kind of weird..."  
  
[Caption at right: "...but if taking her off you involves hurting you   
like this, I'm not interested."]  
  
Asaba: [VO] But I assured him I'd leave them in peace from now on, and   
that I'd like to make amends with him. In any case...   
  
Asaba: [to boy] Locking horns with you's actually been kind of fun.  
  
[Vertical bar. Close up of head and shoulders of boy. He is smiling.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] We were friends after that.  
  
[Vertical bar. Full length shot of the girl, in street clothes, running   
up to Asaba and her boyfriend.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] She actually showed up right after that. It turned out   
there had been an emergency at her house...  
  
[Horizontal bar. Asaba, left, is scolding the girl, center, while the   
boy, right, tries to play peacemaker. The girl looks rather ashamed.]  
  
[Caption at bottom left: "Leaving your boyfriend standing around for   
two hours! How could you?"  
  
[Caption at top center: "I'm sorry, Hideaki..."]  
  
[Caption at bottom right: "It's okay, it doesn't matter now..."]  
  
Asaba: [VO] So I ended up scolding her much more than I should have.   
For all I know I defused a pretty ugly fight between the two of them.   
Which was good...  
  
[Horizontal bar. Asaba, the boy and the girl are eating lunch on the   
school lawn, all in summer uniforms.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] ...because now I can't imagine them apart.  
  
[Vertical bar. The girl is sitting on the grass, chopsticks in her   
hand, looking cheerful.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] She and I made up, and we get on okay these days. We're   
still not as close as we were, though, because I still have a thing for   
her, and she knows it. Funny thing is...  
  
[Vertical bar. The boy is sitting on the grass, munching happily on a   
sandwich.]  
  
Asaba: [VO] I'm actually better friends with her boyfriend now than   
with her.   
  
[Cut back to Asaba's right profile from the waist up, lying on the   
futon, staring at the ceiling.]  
  
Asaba: And the fact is she's probably much better off with him than she   
ever would have been with me. I dunno what that means. [beat] I think   
it means that just because you like someone doesn't mean you're right   
for them. Or that they're right for you. And the people you're sure are   
the worst possible for someone could end up being the best match   
humanly possible.   
  
[Beat.]  
  
[Cut to Kano, still in her fetal position, sitting against the wall.]  
  
Kano: Asaba? Why did you tell me all that just now?  
  
[Cut back to Asaba's right profile from the waist up, lying on the   
futon, staring at the ceiling.]  
  
Asaba: I dunno. For the record, you're the first person I ever told   
this story to.  
  
[Cut to Kano sitting against the wall.]  
  
Kano: Why?  
  
Asaba: [off] You want to know why I can blow off girls without thinking   
about it, even?  
  
Kano: Why?  
  
Asaba: Because I don't give a shit about any of them, that's why.   
You're the first one I actually cared enough about as a person for me   
to think I owed her an explanation.  
  
[SFX: Asaba getting up from his futon.]  
  
[Kano looks up to watch him rise.]  
  
Kano: [quavering voice] What's that supposed to mean?  
  
[Shot of Asaba from Kano's perspective, now standing, looking down at   
Kano, an apologetic look on his face.]  
  
Asaba: This is going to sound really trite and really stupid, and I   
know you're not going to buy it for a second, but here goes. Kano,   
you're really not very subtle. I know why you're here. You're really   
nice, and I'm really flattered, but it's not going to happen. I'm   
sorry, really I am. Better luck next time. Don't worry, I won't tell   
your sis about this. [beat; offers his hand to her] Come on, get up.   
I'll walk you to the station. Can't have you walking by yourself in the   
dark, not in this part of town...  
  
[He trails off. Cut to Kano, back in her fetal position, staring   
straight ahead. She does not move.]  
  
[Cut back to Asaba, looking down at Kano, standing with his hand out.]  
  
Asaba: You can't stay here, you know.  
  
[Cut back to Kano.]  
  
Kano: [suddenly] Don't patronize me. I'm not a child.  
  
[Cut to Asaba, looking down at Kano, taken aback.]  
  
Asaba: What?  
  
[Cut to Kano. She suddenly stands up.]  
  
[Red screen.]  
  
[SFX: A loud slap.]  
  
[Shot of Asaba staggering back towards the window, his left cheek   
already beginning to redden. He stands stunned for a moment.]  
  
[Shot of a front view of Kano, standing in front of Asaba, a look of   
horror on her face as she realizes what she's done.]  
  
[Shot from right profile of Kano in same pose. Beat. Pan to right as   
she suddenly runs to Asaba and embraces him.]  
  
[Close up on Kano's face beginning to tear up.]  
  
Kano: Oh, Asaba, I'm so sorry! [kisses his chest] I'll never do that   
again, I don't know what came over me! [kisses him again] Don't hate   
me, please! I love you, Asaba! I want to stay with you!  
  
[Asaba's arms rise and pull Kano off his chest Pan to left as she is   
pushed back. She looks up at him.]  
  
[Close up of Asaba's face.]  
  
Asaba: Jesus Christ! What's gotten into you, Kano? Are you feeling all   
right?  
  
[Shot of Asaba, right, holding Kano, left, firmly by the arms. He lets   
the arms go and turns his back on her.]  
  
Asaba: I'm sorry. I'm sorry, let's just...let's just both calm down,   
okay? [beat; firmly] Listen, I know you don't want to hear this, and I   
don't like having to say it to you of all people, but I don't want to   
be your boyfriend, and that's the end of it. Get your stuff. I'm taking   
you home.  
  
Kano: [pleading] Why not? You said you wanted someone to look after   
you! Here I am! I can cook and clean! I'll take care of you!  
  
Asaba: Cook? Look around you! There's nowhere here _to_ cook!  
  
Kano: That's not the point! What's wrong with me?  
  
Asaba: [turning to face her; increasingly frustrated, overwhelmed]   
Nothing! Nothing! It's just...[looks around the room for inspiration,   
finds none]...oh shit...look, you're just not my type, okay? And even   
if you were, I couldn't go steady with Yukino Miyazawa's little sister!   
It'd be like sleeping with my little sister or something!  
  
[Close up on Kano's face, right profile.]  
  
Kano: [suddenly angry] What's Sis got to do with this anyway? What   
about me?  
  
[Close up on Asaba's face, left profile.]  
  
Asaba: I hardly know you, Kano! She's the only reason I know you at   
all!  
  
[Close up on Kano's face, right profile.]  
  
Kano: [now pleading] Why can't I be yours, Asaba? We've so much in   
common...   
  
[Close up on Asaba's face, left profile.]  
  
Asaba: [sarcastic] Like what? Fast food? A fucking cartoon?   
  
[Beat. He bows his head and turns away again.]   
  
[Shot of Asaba, left foreground, looking out the window, while Kano   
stands right background.]  
  
Asaba: Listen, I said the exact same thing to my first crush, okay?   
Both of us, I figured, had no families left as far as I knew. Guess   
what? It didn't make her like me back. Think about it a second, Kano,   
okay? Calm down for a bit and think about it. Brothers and sisters have   
lots in common. They don't date, do they? That's not romantic, that's   
sick...  
  
Kano: So what's your point?  
  
Asaba: My point is that's not how it works, okay? [sighs] Listen, all   
that aside. My life sucks. Trust me, you do not want the job of keeping   
me out of trouble. It's tough enough for Soichiro, and he doesn't have   
to   
live with me. Look. Do yourself a big favor and go back to your nice   
normal family where you belong and everyone loves you, okay? I've   
nothing to offer you anyway.  
  
Kano: I don't want anything from you.  
  
[Shot of Asaba looking out the window. He turns to face Kano, towards   
the camera.]  
  
Asaba: Then what do you want?  
  
[Close up on Kano's neck and throat, from Kano's right. Her lips start   
to move, but it is not her voice we hear.]  
  
Yukino: [VO; in time with Kano's lips] I want you.  
  
[Cut back to Asaba. His eyes widen.]  
  
Asaba: Do you have a clue what you're saying?  
  
[Shot of Kano's red cravat falling to the floor.]  
  
Yukino: [VO] Yes.  
  
[Cut back to Asaba, who is now watching the spectacle before him   
transfixed, like a deer in headlights.]  
  
Asaba: Kano...Kano, have you gone crazy?  
  
[Shot of Kano's uniform falling to the floor.]  
  
Yukino: [VO] Don't worry. Here.  
  
[SFX: Footsteps across the floor.]  
  
[Still of Kano, now in just a white bra, blue panties and socks,   
embracing Asaba and kissing him on the lips as he stands transfixed at   
the extreme right of the screen.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[Asaba suddenly snaps out of it. He struggles to get free, while Kano   
resists.]  
  
Asaba: [protesting ad lib.] Kano, let me go! What the hell are you   
doing? We can't do this! For God's sake stop it!  
  
[Cut to the floor, where the lunch box lies forgotten. In the _pas de   
deux_ Asaba steps on the box and trips.]  
  
[SFX: The two bodies crashing to the floor.]  
[Shot from below of Asaba, looking down at Kano.]  
  
Voice: [female, teenaged (it might be Nanami Kiryu); VO, from TV,   
rather tinny; singing in Japanese]  
  
My country's no country, it's the wintertime  
My garden's no garden, it's the frozen plain  
  
[Shot from above of Kano from the bust up, lying spread-eagled on her   
back on the floor, her arms gripped by Asaba's hands. She looks   
flushed; she trembles slightly.]  
  
Voice: [VO; singing]  
  
My highway's no highway, it's the fallen snow  
My country's no country, it's the wintertime  
  
[Shot from the floor of the bottom of the door. It suddenly opens.]  
  
[Shot of the manager, coming in unannounced.]  
  
Manager: [beginning her "where the hell's my rent" rant] Good evening,   
Mr. Asaba. I don't suppose there is any chance of my...[trails off]  
  
Voice: [VO; singing in French, perhaps in a different key]  
  
Mon pays ce n'est pas un pays, c'est l'hiver  
Mon jardin ce n'est pas un jardin, c'est la pleine  
  
[Shot of the view from inside the corridor. The manager, her back   
turned to the camera, looks at the scene on the floor before her. Asaba   
is on top of the half-naked Kano, his arms pinning hers to the floor.]  
  
Voice: [VO; singing]  
  
Mon chemin ce n'est pas un chemin, c'est la neige  
Mon pays ce n'est pas un pays, c'est l'hiver  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[Close up on Asaba's face. He is a mask of shock and embarrassment.]  
  
Asaba: Mrs. Manager, this isn't what it looks like, I swear...  
  
[Shot of the manager's face.]  
  
Manager: [far too politely] Please excuse me for having disturbed you,   
Mr. Asaba. I shall return at a more convenient time.  
  
[The manager leaves, closing the door behind her.]  
  
[Shot from above of Kano from the bust up. She watches the manager as   
she leaves, then looks back to Asaba, then looks away, ashamed.]  
  
[Shot from below of Asaba, looking up at the manager as she leaves. He   
looks back down at Kano, flushes in embarrassment and all but jumps off   
Kano.]  
  
[Shot from above of Kano, looking away from the ceiling, ashamed. Her   
arms are no longer held down by Asaba.]  
  
[Shot of Asaba's left profile as he sits in the chair at the table. He   
covers his face with his hands so as keep from looking at Kano any   
more.]  
  
Asaba: [drained] Put your clothes back on and get your stuff. I'm   
taking you to the station.  
  
[Cut to the front door of the boarding house. The manager is still   
outside, smoking another cigarette on the porch. The door opens. Asaba   
emerges, dragging Kano (now fully dressed) behind him by the wrist. The   
manager looks up to acknowledge him.]  
  
Manager: [starting again] Mr. Asaba, where is my...  
  
Asaba: [not looking at her] Like fuck it's your rent! You just work   
here! I don't have time for this!  
  
[Cut to a view of the street. The sun has set, and the light has become   
very poor; electric lights have gone on in various windows. The stacks   
of the factory are cast in shadow, so the sky is as red as blood, and   
the stacks as black as ink.]  
  
[SFX [optional]: A piano discord.]  
  
[Shot of Kano from left profile, from waist up, in her school uniform,   
her bag on her back, her right arm being tightly held in Asaba's left   
hand as she walks beside him to his left. She looks shaken,   
apprehensive; she looks back and forth, her eyes darting this way and   
that. At last she looks to the right.]  
  
[Shot of a wall. On the left someone has drawn a North Korean flag,   
with a slogan underneath in _hangul_. On the right, as if in response,   
someone else has drawn an imperial Japanese flag and the words in   
Japanese LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR.]  
  
[Shot of a boarded up storefront. Beside the FOR SALE sign someone has   
written in English FUCK USA, FUCK WTO. Nobody has bothered responding   
to that one.]  
  
[In the background some people start shouting.]  
  
[Shot of Kano beside Asaba, looking to the right. She turns back and   
looks left towards the noise.]  
  
[Shot of the outside of what is presumably a bar, with a sign reading   
BRASSERIE in Latin characters. From inside a woman can be heard singing   
in Korean, in a cracked voice. Outside two men are shouting at each   
other in Korean.]  
  
[Close up on the two men. A short one, left, and a taller man, right   
are arguing; the short man is holding his right hand in his left,   
clearly in pain, looking accusatory, while the taller man is pointing   
to the hand, looking derisive.]  
  
[Cut back to Kano looking apprehensively at the fight.]  
  
Asaba: [off; warning] Don't pay them any attention, they've been there   
since noon.  
  
[Kano looks up towards Asaba.]  
  
[Cut to a close up of Asaba's face, left profile.]  
  
Asaba: First rule of surviving in this neighborhood. Mind your own   
business.  
  
[Cut to a row of lockers, the kind found in mass-transit stations.]  
  
[SFX: Various noises from mass-transit stations ad lib.: people going   
to and fro; garbled conversations; garbled announcements; etc.]  
  
[Cut to a commuter train terminal, where people in cheap suits and   
other clothes of highly variable quality are milling about.]  
  
[Cut to a shot from below (from Kano's perspective, say) of Asaba's   
head and shoulders, right profile. He looks straight ahead,   
expressionless.]  
  
[Full length shot of Kano from right profile, standing at Asaba's   
right. She looks straight ahead, expressionless. Asaba is no longer   
holding her wrist.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Kano: [finally; seeming to remember something] Asaba...[starts to take   
off her bag] I forgot to give you something...  
  
Asaba: [off; gently enough, but firmly] If it's chocolate, I can't take   
it, Kano.  
  
[Kano stops in her tracks. Finally she puts the bag back on.]  
  
Kano: Oh. Okay. [beat] I just thought maybe you didn't get any after   
all.  
  
Asaba: [off] What, chocolate? Certainly I got chocolate. More than I   
could carry, almost.   
  
Kano: I didn't see any in the room.  
  
Asaba: [off] Yeah, because it all went in the dumpster.  
  
[Shot of Kano from above (from Asaba's perspective perhaps), looking up   
at Asaba, looking a little shocked.]  
  
Kano: But why?  
  
[Cut to a shot from Kano's perspective of Asaba's head and shoulders,   
right profile. His face is still blank, staring straight ahead.]  
  
Asaba: I can't live on chocolate, Kano. It makes me sick.  
  
Announcer: [VO; lower-class voice trying to sound middle-class, gender   
unimportant] The 6:30 train to East Kawasaki is now arriving on track   
number four. For your safety, please remain behind the yellow line.  
  
[Cut back to Kano from right profile looking up at Asaba. She turns   
back to look staright ahead.]  
  
Kano: Look...I'm really sorry about all this...  
  
Asaba: [off; neutral voice] That's okay.  
  
Kano: Do you hate me?  
  
Asaba: [off; neutral voice] No. Why should I?  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Kano: Are you really not going to tell my sister?  
  
Asaba: No. There's no point. [beat] Can I ask you a question?  
  
Kano: Sure.  
  
Asaba: Do you think you'd have waited two hours for me to show up   
somewhere?  
  
Kano: [feigning certitude, looking up at him] Yes! [beat; capitulating,   
hanging her head] No. [beat] I don't know.  
  
Asaba: Don't try doing that again until you can answer.  
  
[His right hand suddenly shoves her forward, off camera. She might gasp   
slightly.]  
  
[Full length front view of Asaba standing on the terminal.]  
  
Asaba: [ordering] And don't ever come here on your own again.  
  
[In front of him train doors shut.]  
  
[Cut to Kano looking at him through the door windows.]  
  
[SFX: Noises of the commuter train starting to move.]  
  
[Shot of Asaba standing there a moment, then turns right and heads off.   
Pan right to follow him, as if the train were heading in the same   
direction.]  
  
[Cut back to the left-hand side of the terminal (as seen through the   
door windows, where people continue to mill. They seem for a moment to   
part into two columns. In between them appears Yukino Miyazawa, clad in   
her South Shirakawa school uniform, looking as queenly as possible,   
walking with impeccable posture towards the right.]  
  
[Shot through the door windows of Asaba, right, walking right through   
the crowd, his hands in his pockets. Yukino appears behind him, left,   
walking towards him. Just before she catches up she might do an   
impressive pirouette. When she does catch up with him, pan camera to   
bring them both to the center of the screen, where Yukino takes his   
right arm and looks up towards him endearingly.]  
  
[Shot of Kano watching the scene unfold on the terminal through the   
door window.]  
  
[Shot of Asaba and Yukino walking right through the crowd, her left arm   
in his right. She is now wearing her junior high sweatsuit and glasses,   
her hair in barrettes, her feet bare. She looks to her right, towards   
the train window, and flashes a nasty, triumphant grin. The camera   
starts to pan right.]  
  
[Shot of Kano watching Yukino through the window.]  
  
[Shot of Asaba and Yukino walking right through the crowd, her left arm   
in his right, Yukino looking towards the train window and grinning at   
Kano nastily. The camera continues to pan right with increasing speed.   
With her right arm Yukino gives Kano the finger. With that the train is   
plunged into darkness.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[Black background. Full-length shot from left profile of Kano, slumped   
in a chair, perhaps a chair from the train.]  
  
Kano: What have I done?  
  
[Close up on Kano's face, left profile.]  
  
Kano: Asaba probably hates me now because I did something dumb and now   
he thinks I'm a tramp! What was I thinking?  
  
[Black screen. Caption in white type: WHAT INDEED?]  
  
[Close up on Kano's face, left profile.]  
  
Kano: I just wanted him to be my boyfriend! I didn't want this to   
happen!  
  
[Shot of Aya from waist up, right profile, looking down towards Kano.]  
  
Aya: [big-sisterly] Yukino's Yukino, you're you. Get your own friends   
for God's sake.  
  
[Cut to Aya, left, standing in front on Kano, right, sitting in the   
chair.]  
  
Kano: [whining] I don't want my own friends. I want Asaba.  
  
[Black screen. Caption in white type: WHY?]  
  
[Full-length front view of Kano slumped in the chair.]  
  
Kano: [defensive] I don't know why! You can't pick who you like, right?   
'Sides, Yukino has a cool boyfriend, why can't I?  
  
[Black screen. Caption in white type: IS THAT THE ONLY REASON YOU   
DESIRED HIM?]  
  
[Close up on Kano's head.]  
  
Kano: [whining] I don't know!  
  
Yukino: [VO; chipper, patronizing] Don't feel bad about it.  
  
Kano: [looking up] Huh?  
  
[Shot from the waist up of Yukino in her winter Hokuei uniform. She is   
smiling her fakest, most condescending smile.]  
  
Yukino: Better luck next time.  
  
[Close up on Kano's face from front.]  
  
Kano: [quavering voice] Sister?  
  
[Full length front view of Yukino, now in her sweatsuit and glasses,   
now slouching in a train chair, striking a Napoleonic pose.]  
  
Yukino: [imperiously] When are you going to accept the fact that _I'm_   
fantastic?  
  
[Head and shoulders shot of Tsukino, looking slightly to her left, a   
nervous smile on her face.]  
  
Tsukino: [as if to tease Kano] I do, ask Kano...!  
  
[Shot of Kano from front, waist up, covering her face with her hands.]  
  
Kano: [shaking her head; epiphanic, not a hint of irony] Of course! How   
could I have been so dumb? Why would someone special like Asaba like   
me anyway? Who needs me when you've got the most perfect girl in the   
whole school for your friend already? What more could he want?   
[despairing] I'm a moron! I'm such a stupid moron!  
  
[Front view of Asaba from waist up, his arms folded.]   
  
Asaba: I know what you're thinking.  
  
[Black screen. Caption: THEY ARE LIKE GODS.]  
  
[Shot of Kano from left profile, waist up, her hands in her lap,   
looking at them rather than at Asaba.]  
  
Kano: [quietly] I cannot possibly compare to her.  
  
[Right profile of Asaba from waist up, his arms folded.]  
  
Asaba: What if I told you were wrong?  
  
[Shot of Kano from left profile, waist up, her hands in her lap,   
looking at them rather than at Asaba. Beat.]  
  
Kano: [finally; defeated] You'd have been lying.  
  
[Close up of Yukino's face. Her expression is of satisfaction, almost   
smirking.]  
  
[Shot of Yukino in her winter uniform, left, sitting demurely in a   
chair across from Kano, slumped in her chair at right.]  
  
Yukino: [softly, almost tenderly] Does that frighten you?  
  
Kano: Yes.  
  
Yukino: Do I frighten you?  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Kano: Yes.  
  
[Full length front view shot of Yukino, now in her kimono, barefoot,   
her hands folded in her lap.]  
  
Yukino: [smiling; almost soothing] Did I frighten you that night?  
  
[Full length front view shot of Kano slumped in her chair. Her head   
shoots up.]  
  
Kano: [shocked] What?  
  
[Cut back to Yukino. Her smile is now mocking.]  
  
Yukino: [colder] I must have, otherwise you would have come closer.   
  
[Shot of Arima's face, smiling pleasantly.]  
  
Arima: Hi.  
  
[Cut back to Yukino.]  
  
Yukino: You could have learned much more. Perhaps you could even have   
succeeded.  
  
[Shot from front of Kano's head and shoulders. Her face is a mask of   
horror and shame. She covers her mouth.]  
  
Kano: Oh God...[covers her eyes; pleading] I'm so sorry, sister! I've   
been so dirty and disgusting! I'll never do it again, I swear! Please!   
Have pity on me!  
  
Yukino: [off] I do pity you.  
  
[Close up on Kano's face. She uncovers her eyes to look at Yukino.]  
  
Kano: Huh?  
  
[Shot of Yukino's lower body as she rises from her chair.]  
  
[Shot of Yukino from front, waist up. Her expression is superior, with   
a hint of cruelty.]  
  
Yukino: Your technique needs a great deal of work.  
  
[She starts to move left. Pan the camera left as she does so, until she   
is standing beside Asaba, on her left. She kisses Asaba on the cheek,   
then looks back to Kano.]   
  
Yukino: I'm sure I could have done a much better job.   
  
[Shot from the (black) "floor" where stand Asaba and Yukino. Yukino's   
kimono slowly falls to the floor.]  
  
[Shot of Kano, looking up at Yukino and Asaba in disbelief.]  
  
[SFX: Kisses, mutterings, then moans and erotic cries that slowly   
increase in intensity. This time, they must be of the sort calculated   
to elicit disgust, embarrassment, and shame.]  
  
[Kano's look turns from disbelief to horror; she covers her mouth; she   
might begin to shake slightly. At last she covers her eyes to blot out   
the spectacle before her.]  
  
Kano: [shaking her head; almost screaming] No! NO! Sister, please!   
Don't make me look at that! Anything but that! Please stop it! I don't   
care what else you do to me, but not that! For the love of GOD...!  
  
[The cries suddenly stop. Kano looks up.]  
  
[Shot of the inside of a commuter train. The passengers are staring at   
Kano; they immediately start pretending they haven't been.]  
  
Child: [gender unimportant; off] Who's she talking to, mama?  
  
Mother: [off; unnerved] Don't look at her any more, dear...  
  
[Shot of Kano in her chair on the train. She seems to be not quite sure   
how she got there. A small child is dozing to her left, a middle-aged   
man in a cheap suit at her right.]  
  
[Cut to the front of the Miyazawa house at night. It is now lit up with   
electric light.]  
  
[Caption: 2001.2.14 19.15]  
  
[Cut to the door of the Miyazawa house. It opens.]  
  
Kano: [off; drained] I'm home.  
  
[Shot of front hall. The living room can be seen to be lit up.]   
  
[The camera shows Kano's perspective as she walks up the stairs, down   
the hall to the girls' bedroom, opens the door of the dark room and   
collapses on her futon.]  
  
[SFX: A body throwing itself on a bed.]  
  
[Black Screen.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[Cut to Kano's head and shoulders, her arms folded before her as she   
lies on the futon in the dim light.]  
  
[Shot of a fancy-looking box of chocolates, sitting at the end of a   
futon, presumably just in front of Kano.]  
  
[SFX: Peropero barking.]  
  
[Cut to Kano's face. She looks right to acknowledge Peropero.]  
  
[Cut to the floor under the door of the girls' bedroom. Peropero is   
there, wagging his tail. He barks.]  
  
[Cut back to Kano's head and shoulders, looking in his direction.]  
  
Kano: [softly] Hi, Peropero. You wanna welcome me home?  
  
[SFX: Peropero bounding towards Kano.]  
  
[Kano's eyes trace out Peropero's path, until she's right in front of   
him. She smiles weakly, indulgently.]  
  
[Shot of Peropero sniffing the chocolates. Kano's hand reaches out to   
pet him.]  
  
Kano: [off; laughing weakly] No, Peropero, you can't have those.   
They'll make you sick, 'k?  
  
[Cut back to Kano's head and shoulders as she reaches out to Peropero;   
she is still smiling weakly.]  
  
Kano: [babyish tone, of the sort reserved for pets] Did that bad sister   
of mine not give you your dinner yet? I'll get it for you in a minute,   
okay? I've had a really rough day...  
  
Yukino: [off; sharply] Kano, is that you?  
  
[Kano looks up to acknowledge her, but does not answer.]  
  
[Cut to the floor by the door. Someone is standing there, but Yukino's   
feet (for it is she) are cast in shadow, and so appears to be in   
silhouette.]  
  
[SFX: Peropero whimpering.]  
  
[Peropero, perhaps spooked by the noise, dashes out the door and out of   
sight.]  
  
[Shot from waist up of Yukino standing in the door, apparently in   
silhouette, cast in shadow by the light from the hall. Her face is   
cast in complete darkness, save for light glinting off her glasses,   
making reading her expression impossible, and it is only obvious that   
it is Yukino from the shape of her hair and clothes; apparently she is   
wearing her sweatsuit. Her right hand rests on the door.]  
  
Yukino: [sarcastic] You going to lie in the dark in your uniform all   
night?  
  
[Cut back to Kano's head and shoulders. She looks away from Yukino,   
straight ahead towards the chocolates.]  
  
Kano: [sullen, defiant] Maybe.  
  
[Still of a panoramic view of the room. At the bottom left of the   
screen Kano lies on her futon, staring at the chocolates. At the right   
of the screen the bright light from the hall breaks the overall dim   
light in the rest of the room; the bright light itself is cut by   
Yukino's shadow.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: [sternly] It's seven-thirty. I don't believe for a second your   
club activities could have kept you that long. Do you want to tell me   
where the hell you've been?  
  
Kano: [bluntly] No.  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: Fine. Be that way. [beat] Where were you, Kano?  
  
Kano: Who wants to know? Mom and Dad?  
  
Yukino: They're not home yet. [beat] Fortunately for you.  
  
Kano: Then I'm not telling.  
  
Yukino: Why not?  
  
Kano: [raising her voice] Because it's none of your business! You're   
not my mom, don't make like you are!  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: It's not like I don't have a pretty good idea where you were,   
Kano.  
  
Kano: Is that a fact?  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: [restrained] Aya Sawada read me the riot act in school today.   
She said you'd turned up at her door unannounced demanding she write a   
love poem, of all things. She was really angry because she thought I'd   
given you her address. [beat] It also looked like someone had been   
going through my purse. Specifically, my address book. Is there   
something you want to tell me?  
  
Kano: No.  
  
Yukino: [scolding, but still restrained] It's very rude to go through   
people's things without asking them. That, and it's very rude to show   
up on people's doorsteps uninvited. Aya's very busy with her writing.   
She doesn't want people bothering her out of the blue...  
  
Kano: [cutting her off, ironic] That's news to me. People show up on   
our doorstep uninvited all the time.  
  
Yukino: [curtly] And what's that supposed to mean?  
  
Kano: You're the smartest girl in the school. Figure it out yourself.  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: Something else. There are plenty of places in this town where   
you don't go at night. There are places a woman shouldn't go by herself   
in the daytime, even. Like the district around the factory.  
  
Kano: [playing dumb] So what's your point?  
  
Yukino: That's where Asapin lives. [beat] Kano, did you go by   
yourself...  
  
Kano: [cutting her off] He told me he liked someone else. Said it was a   
friend of yours. [beat] And you know, that kind of figures. [beat]   
Happy now?  
  
Yukino: [a somewhat softer voice] Kano...  
  
[Shot from above of the box of chocolates. Kano's hand grabs the box.]  
  
[Black screen.]  
  
[SFX: Sound of the box hitting something soft with great force.]  
  
[Cut to the floor under the door. The box lies at (the silhouette of)   
Yukino's feet.]  
  
[Cut to the inside of the room as seen from the door. Kano is standing   
as if having thrown something (viz. the chocolates), a murderous look   
on her face. She is gasping; she might be starting to sweat.]  
  
[Cut to Yukino's silhouette from the waist up.]  
  
Yukino: [tenderly, apologetic] Kano, I'm sorry...  
  
[Shot of Kano from waist up, her face twisted in anger.]  
  
Kano: [exploding] Like HELL you're sorry! What've you got to be sorry   
about anyway? You've got everything you could possibly want! Go on,   
laugh your ass off! That's what you want to do, right? Do me a big   
favor and save the sensitive act for someone who'll buy that line of   
crap! Think I don't know what a vain, self-centered, insensitive   
heartless WITCH you really are?  
  
[Cut to Yukino's silhouette from the waist up.]  
  
Yukino: [as if she'd been slapped] What?  
  
[Shot of Kano from waist up. There are tears in her eyes.]  
  
Kano: What did I do to deserve this? How come you get to be beautiful   
and smart and popular and be friends with the coolest people on earth   
and find a boyfriend without even _trying_, and I get to be just a dumb   
kid whose only claim to fame is I'm Yukino Miyazawa's little sister no   
matter what I do, and when I open my heart to a guy I get it torn out   
and shoved down my throat? If you're sorry, prove it! Do whatever you   
do to Asaba and everybody to make them love you and do whatever the   
heck you want and get him to like me! _As if I didn't know what that   
was!_  
  
[Cut to Yukino's silhouette from the waist up.]  
  
Yukino: [shocked] Kano, are you feeling all right?  
  
[Shot of Kano from waist up.]  
  
Kano: NO! I'm not feeling all right! I'll never feel all right! I can't   
help it if Asaba doesn't love me! I can't help it if I'm not special   
like you! What's the matter with me? Why can't I be special?  
  
[Cut to Yukino's silhouette from the waist up. She is silent.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[Shot of Kano from waist up.]  
  
Kano: ANSWER ME! [beat; her face crumples] Answer me...  
  
[She falls to her knees, covers her face with her hands and begins to   
cry.]  
  
[Cut to Yukino's silhouette from the waist up.]  
  
Yukino: Kano...  
  
[Shot of Kano kneeling on the floor, her back to the camera, at   
Yukino's feet, her head in her hands.]  
  
[Shot of Yukino's right arm reaching out from viewer's right, only to   
be slapped away by Kano.]  
  
Kano: [VO; through her tears] Don't touch me! Don't come near me! Don't   
even speak to me! I hate you!  
  
[Cut to Yukino's silhouette from the waist up.]  
  
Yukino: [sadly] Your dinner's in the kitchen. I'll be in the living   
room.  
  
[Front view of Kano kneeling on the floor, her head in her hands.]   
  
Kano: [through her tears] I HATE YOU! I don't want to be your sister   
any more! I can't stand it! Just go away and leave me alone!  
  
[She looks up.]  
  
[Cut to the door leading out into the hall. The silhouette is gone.]  
  
[Cut back to Kano, still kneeling in front of the door, with a look   
almost of disbelief.]  
  
Kano: [trying to sound furious, mostly succeeding in sounding   
heartbroken] Fine. Go and yuk it up behind my back like you always do.   
See if I care...  
  
[Cut to the futon. Kano throws herself on it and begins to cry again.   
Fade to black.]  
  
[SFX: A film projector starting up.]  
  
[A lead-in to a film is projected on the black background.]  
  
[5]  
  
[4]  
  
[3]  
  
[2]  
  
[Black screen]  
  
[If desired, cue the National Film Board of Canada opening animation   
from the Seventies: two thick, parallel lines are drawn in green at the   
bottom of the screen, suggesting legs, then the bottom of an oval on   
top and connecting the "legs," suggesting arms, then a circle in the   
center of the oval, suggesting a head; then the top of the oval is   
finally drawn in, so that the head becomes the pupil of an eye; beat;   
the "eye with legs" rapidly shrinks and retreats to the bottom left of   
the screen, and beside it on the right appears the bilingual caption in   
green: NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA  
OFFICE NATIONAL DU FILM DU CANADA]  
  
[A shot of Peropero eating out of a Stryofoam bowl of poutine;   
background unimportant. Above him is a caption in friendly crayon:   
STUDIO POUTINE]  
  
[Black screen.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[BGM: Instrumental French Canadian folk music from the archives.]  
  
[File photo of a crossroads in a small village somewhere in Quebec,   
preferably with a Catholic church in plain sight. There might be   
(anachronistically, given what will follow) be an ARRÊT stop sign at   
the crossroads.]  
  
[Fade up captions in French at left: L'OFFICE NATIONAL DU FILM DU  
CANADA  
ET LE STUDIO POUTINE PRÉSENTENT  
and in English at right: THE NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA  
AND STUDIO POUTINE PRESENT]  
  
[Fade out captions.]  
  
[Fade up captions in French at top left: LA CHIENNE NOIRE DU RACONTEUR  
and in English at top right: THE STORYTELLER'S BLACK DOG]  
  
[Fade up captions in French at bottom left: Une vraie conte   
du Canada français  
and in English at bottom right: A true story   
of French Canada]  
  
[Fade out captions.]  
  
Narrator: [VO; female, in Japanese, but with French Canadian accent]   
Once upon a time, before the English came to Canada...  
  
[Shot of a farmhouse drawn in a simple, kid-friendly fashion in basic   
colors in the foreground; in the background is a farm depicted in an   
equally kid-friendly fashion, with cows, a big red barn, etc., visible   
in the distance. Before it SD Yukino, dressed as a farmer (she might   
even have a straw hat), stands looking mighty proud of all she surveys,   
her arms folded.]  
  
Narrator: [VO]...there lived a farmer by the name of Jacques Delaneige.  
  
[Camera moves to a view of the farm from the air, perhaps from a tree.   
Some cows graze contentedly in a green, flower-strewn field.]  
  
[SFX: Some birds chirp ad lib.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] During the summer, he tilled the most prosperous and   
fertile farm in the entire parish.  
  
[The cows disappear, and suddenly the grass disappears to be replaced   
by snow.]  
  
[SFX: A cold winter wind blows.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] That was not Jacques' only talent, however, for during   
the winter...  
  
[Still of a log fireplace beside which, at right, stands Yukino in her   
farmer's outfit, gesticulating wildly as if telling a story. At left   
sits the bulk of the _Karekano_ cast in period French Canadian costume,   
dressed as peasants and peasant's wives (except for Kazuma, who's still   
in his regular black T-shirt and skull bracelet). In the front row sit   
Tsubasa, Peropero, and the kindergarten-aged Mr. and Mrs. Miyazawa from   
episode 16.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...he made his savings go further as the best   
storyteller for miles around. He told all sorts of tales:  
  
[Stock footage of Yukino looking every inch the perfect student.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...tales of princes and heroes...  
  
[Stock footage of Yukino looking goofy in her sweatsuit.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...tales of commoners and fools...  
  
[Stock footage of Yukino beaming and pointing into the air, as if   
giving a pep talk.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...stories to teach a lesson...  
  
[Stock footage of Yukino and Tsubaki singing karaoke.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...stories just for fun...  
  
[Stock footage of SD Yukino jumping for joy.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...happy stories...  
  
[Stock footage of normal Yukino with tears in her eyes.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...sad stories...  
  
[Stock footage of Hell-Hath-No-Fury Yukino chasing Tsubasa.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...scary stories...  
  
[Stock footage of Yukino and Arima embracing.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...tales of love...  
  
[Stock footage of Maho glaring at Yukino.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...tales of hatred...  
  
[Stock footage of Yukino comforting Tsubasa after their confrontation.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...tales of reconciliation...  
  
[Stock footage of Yukino hanging with Maho and Team Tsubasa.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...tales of new friends.  
  
[Shot of the crowd listening to the farmer's tale, in utter silence.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] And he told them so well that when he spoke nobody ever   
gave him less than their utmost attention, and, for that matter, nobody   
ever doubted that the stories were any less than absolutely true.  
  
[The crowd burst out in applause, and start throwing copper coins.]  
  
[Shot of SD Yukino taking a bow as her hat fills with coppers.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] However, the truth was many of the tales were so   
fantastic that if anybody else had told them, nobody would have   
believed them, not even the smallest child. But Jacques could make any   
of them seem real.  
  
[Close up of normal Yukino from waist up, rising from her bow, a smug   
smile on her face; she might start to chuckle.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] Which was all very well, except that after a while, he   
began to swell up with pride at the thought that he could make people   
believe anything he wanted them to believe.  
  
[Cut to SD Yukino, now in her (anachronistic) sweatsuit, sitting at a   
table inside her farmhouse counting some money. There might be a log   
fire going in a fireplace, a window with snow clearly visible outside,   
and so forth. She does not look happy.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] One day in late winter, someone stole a sheep from the   
barn in which Jacques kept his flock during the winter.  
  
[Still of one of the sheep from the Asaba Merryland.]  
  
Sheep: [VO] Baa.  
  
[Close up of SD Yukino, cradling her head in her hands, looking glum.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] It was not a good time at all, for not only had he not   
the money to replace it, he had not even the money for a guard dog to   
watch the farm in case the thief came back. All the money he had he   
needed to buy other supplies for the planting season.  
  
[Suddenly SD Yukino perks up, hangs her fist in her hand; a light bulb   
might appear above her head.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] Suddenly he had an idea.  
  
[Cut to the file photo of the church at the crossroads.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] The next day was Sunday...  
  
[File photo of the inside of a Catholic church. Paper cutouts of the   
_Karekano_ cast are in the pews, heads bowed in prayer.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...and so everyone would be at Mass, which was what   
Jacques needed for his plan.  
  
[File photo of an altar. Before it a paper cutout of Asaba, dressed as   
a priest, is making the motions (silently) of giving the final   
prayers.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] After Mass was over, just as everybody was about to   
leave...  
  
[Close up on Asaba from the waist up. He looks up suddenly.]  
  
[Shot of Yukino standing in the pews in her (period farmer's) Sunday   
best, her hands extended as if making a speech.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...Jacques rose and told the people, "If any of you know   
who stole my sheep, tell him if he dares return that he does so at his   
peril!"  
  
[Close up of of SD Yukino pointing into the air, an evil grin on her   
face.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "For if he does, my big black dog will bite his leg   
off!"  
  
[Still of the backyard dog from Asaba's tenement.]  
  
[SFX: A dog barking.]  
  
[Still of an old woman (Maho) standing in another pew, a look of   
accusation on her face.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] Someone stood and said, "I pass your house every Sunday   
on the way to Mass, and I've never seen or heard any black dog!"  
  
[Close up on Maho's head and shoulders, her mouth open in accusation;   
she might be pointing to Yukino.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "How dare you try to deceive us in the house of the   
Lord!"  
  
[Full length shot of Asaba looking skeptical, raising an eyebrow.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] The priest himself asked, "She has a point. Since when   
do you have a big black dog, Jacques?"  
  
[Full length shot of Yukino standing, beaming, her finger pointed in   
the air.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "Oh, for quite a while now," said Jacques. "You surely   
must have seen her."  
  
[Close up on Yukino's head and shoulders, a frightening expression on   
her face, her arms in a pose designed to provoke fear.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "And oh, but what a fearsome creature she is, with her   
big long legs and enormous neck and head and mouth full of teeth! She's   
a bitch to be sure, but no less terrible for all that!"  
  
[Shot of Yukino from the waist up, pulling on some black gloves.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] And Jacques pulled on his black work gloves, and made   
noises and hand gestures to show the assembly just what the big black   
dog was like, just as he would have done to tell his tales about the   
_loup-garou_, the werewolf.  
  
[Still of Yukino's left hand in the glove, the palm down, the middle   
finger extended to suggest a head and neck. And the thumb and other   
fingers pointed towards the ground to suggest four legs.]  
  
Yukino: [VO; impersonating a dog in French] Ouah!  
  
[Shot of Asaba nodding his head.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] The priest was convinced, and said to the old woman...  
  
[Shot of Maho standing silent, embarrassed.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "Now, now, when has Jacques ever told us something that   
wasn't true?"  
  
[Shot of the assembly, their arms folded, nodding in agreement. In the   
middle of them SD Yukino is taking a bow.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] And everybody else said the same, and nobody questioned   
any more whether the dog was real.  
  
[File photo of the church. Cut-paper drawings of the Karekano cast are   
"leaving" church.]  
  
[Narrator: They went in peace to love and serve their Lord, and, as   
Jacques had hoped, to tell everyone they knew about Jacques' black dog.  
  
[Shot of the farmhouse.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] Soon everybody knew about the dog, and all through the   
summer nobody dared steal from Jacques again.  
  
[Shot of SD Yukino in her sweatsuit inside the farmhouse, rolling about   
on the floor laughing herself silly as comically as possible.]  
  
[SFX: Zany, comical laughter.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] As for Jacques, he laughed heartily and grew even more   
conceited than ever when he thought that all his neighbors were so   
stupid that they could be made to believe in a dog that didn't exist at   
all.  
  
[Still of the backyard dog.]  
  
[SFX: The dog barking.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] However, that was not the end, because the legend of the   
dog began to spread and grow with the telling.  
  
[Still of a farmer (Arima) telling off a child (Tsubasa) for something   
or other; Arima wags his finger while Tsubasa looks nervous.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] Parents started to use the dog to scare their children   
into being good.  
  
Arima: [VO] Jacques' big black dog will get you if you do that again!  
  
Tsubasa: [VO] Yes sir!  
  
[Still of three girls in anachronistic Hokuei High uniforms, perhaps   
Yukino's sycophants from episode 1, laughing and sharing stories.]  
  
[Caption in French: TÉMOIGNAGE  
in English: TESTIMONY]  
  
Narrator: [VO] Tall tales about the dog began to spread.  
  
Girl: I heard Jacques was out hunting and was attacked by an Indian war   
party, and the dog drove them away all by herself!  
  
Another: What a brave dog!  
  
A third: I didn't think dogs like that really existed!  
  
[Still of Maho, the old woman, and her old husband (Tsubaki).]  
  
Narrator: After a while, a few people actually claimed to have seen the   
dog.  
  
Maho: [VO] She's a much nicer dog than I thought she'd be.  
  
Tsubaki: [VO; impersonating a man] Loves to play fetch.  
  
[Still of a nun (Aya) and a starry-eyed novice (Rika) in their habits.]  
  
Aya: [VO] She's a lot friendlier than you'd think she'd be.  
  
Rika: [VO] Such a sweetheart!  
  
[Shot from waist up of Asaba dressed as a priest, his hand to his chin,   
as if contemplating his words.]  
  
Asaba: Truth is, she's not really all that impressive to look at. But   
she's a good girl, and she's as loyal as they come...  
  
[He is suddenly set upon by the three girls.]  
  
Girl: Father, could you read to us from the _Song of Songs_ again?  
  
Asaba: [suddenly smiling, looking glamorous] With pleasure!  
  
[Shot of SD Yukino in her farmer's outfit, rolling about on the ground   
laughing even harder than before in the foreground, while Asaba chats   
up the girls in the background. A couple (Mr. and Mrs. Miyazawa) pass   
Yukino, trying not to stare.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] Not that this bothered Jacques at all. Quite the   
contrary, all it did was to make the joke even funnier, and make him   
swell with pride all the more. What fools! he thought. If only they   
knew what fools I'd made of them!  
  
[White screen. Caption at left in French: MAIS...  
at right in English: BUT...]  
  
Narrator: [VO] But!  
  
[Shot of SD Yukino inside her farmhouse, in her anachronistic   
sweatsuit, sitting on her anachronistic couch watching _Terrance and   
Phillip_ on a _very_ anachronistic TV set.]  
  
[SFX: A loud fart.]  
  
[Terrance and Phillip laugh on the TV. SD Yukino laughs with them.]  
  
[SFX: A knock on the door.]  
  
[Yukino looks up from the TV.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] One day there was a knock on Jacques' door.  
  
[Shot of the top of the door, which normal Yukino, dressed as a farmer   
again, opens to see who it is.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] It was the woodcutter who lived beside him.  
  
[Shot of a front view of normal Kano, dressed as a lumberjack, standing   
before Yukino. She holds her right hand, which appears to be injured,   
in her left. She is obviously in pain and just as obviously angry.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "You big black dog attacked me for no reason at all!" he   
said.  
  
[Still of the backyard dog.]  
  
[SFX: The dog barking.]  
  
[Still of Kano's right hand, covered with blood.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "He jumped out of the bushes as I passed your house on   
the road, and nearly bit my hand off! I'm probably lucky to be alive!"  
  
[Still of the porch, on which have fallen some drops of blood.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "I'll certainly be lucky to ever use this hand again! A   
woodcutter with a bad hand has no way of earning a living! You've   
condemned me to death!"  
  
[Close up still of Kano's face, shouting in accusation.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "What are you going to do about this?"  
  
[Still of Yukino's hand holding Kano's bleeding hand, as if to inspect   
it.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] Of course, thought Jacques, there was no way it could   
have been the imaginary dog, and felt sure the woodcutter was trying to   
cheat him. So he said...  
  
[Close up of normal Yukino's head and shoulders.]  
  
Yukino: Either you are lying or you are mad. My dog didn't bite anyone.   
I owe you nothing. Go to the doctor now and have him look at it, and   
leave me in peace.  
  
[Close up still of Kano's face, scowling.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "So that's your attitude?" said the woodcutter. "We'll   
see about this!"  
  
[Shot of Kano, her back turned to the camera, walking down the path,   
holding her injured hand.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] And with that the woodcutter walked off to the   
village...  
  
[Shot of Kano standing in a village square, showing off her (now   
bandaged) hand, telling passers-by her story.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...told everybody his story, and convinced them to come   
with him to Jacques' house to force the issue.  
  
[Shot from above of a crowd of people outside the farmhouse door, where   
Kano knocks with her good hand.]  
  
[SFX: A knock on the door.]  
  
[Shot of normal Kano, left profile, standing at the door, which is   
opened by SD Yukino in her sweatsuit. The crowd is at Kano's back, and   
SD Yukino starts to sweatdrop when she sees the size of the crowd.]  
  
[Close up of an arm being pointed in accusation.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] Right behind the woodcutter was the priest, who said...  
  
[Front view of Asaba in his priest outfit, pointing in accusation,   
standing a little behind Kano; Kano might lean into him just a little.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "This man told me your dog bit him. Tell us if this is   
true, and be sure you do not lie, on pain of mortal sin."  
  
[Shot of SD Yukino inside the door, sweatdropping, laughing nervously,   
and waving her hands in warding.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "Now, now, father," said Jacques, "how could this man   
have been bitten by a dog that doesn't even exist?"  
  
[Close up of Asaba's head and shoulders, with a look of disbelief on   
his face.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "What's that supposed to mean?" said the priest.  
  
[Close up of normal Yukino standing at the door, an exasperated look on   
her face, appearing to be raising her voice.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "It means there is no black dog," said Jacques. "I never   
had a big black dog. It was all a trick I played to stop people from   
stealing from my farm. Did none of you even think of that?"  
  
[Close up of Kano's face, her eyes shut, growing increasingly angry.]  
  
[Shot of Kano's good arm pointing in accusation.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "See, father?" said the woodcutter. "I was sure he would   
not admit his guilt."  
  
[Shot of Kano looking up to Asaba, with the camera more or less hanging   
over Asaba's shoulder.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "Now he's trying to play us for fools, saying there is   
no big black dog, when everybody knows about the dog."  
  
[Shot of Kano from behind, her hands extended, as if addressing the   
crowd.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "Everyone! Were any of you not there at Mass, when   
Jacques showed us his big black dog?"  
  
[Still of Yukino's gloved hand, in the gesture suggesting the big black   
dog.]  
  
Yukino: [VO] Ouah!  
  
[Close up of Asaba from the waist up, an accusatory look on his face.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "He is right," said the priest. "You should know better   
than to tell such blatant lies before the whole parish and before God.   
I, too, saw the big black dog with my own eyes."   
  
[Shot of Asaba's arm pointing to Yukino, who has a look of utter   
disbelief.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "Kneel, and ask God that he might forgive your deceit,   
or we will not."  
  
[Shot of Maho, dressed as the old woman, at the front of the crowd.   
Tsubaki, dressed as her husband, is beside her. Both look angry and   
insulted.]  
  
Narrator: "I saw the dog too," said the old woman, who was standing at   
the head of the crowd. "And I," said her husband.  
  
[Still of Aya and Rika in the crowd, dressed as the nun and novice,   
looking just as angry.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "And I!" said the nun. "And I!" said the novice.  
  
[Still of Arima and Tsubasa as the other farmer and his daughter,   
ditto.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] "And I!" said Jacques' neighbor. "And I!" said the   
neighbor's daughter.  
  
[Shots ad lib. of featureless faces in the crowd shouting angrily,   
people waving around pitchforks, guns, bodyboards, and other implements   
useful for doing bodily harm. Someone might wave a sign saying A BAS LA   
CHIENNE DELANEIGE.]  
  
Crowd: [shouting ad lib.] Et moi! Et moi! Et moi! Et moi! Et moi!  
  
Narrator: [VO] And the crowd all said the same, and got extremely angry   
with Jacques and his big black dog, and prepared to tar and feather him   
and drive him out of the parish.  
  
[Shot of normal Yukino's head and shoulders, a look of disbelief   
turning into fear; this might be a black and white sketch.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] Jacques did not try to say anything else to convince   
them of the truth. There was no point telling them the dog did not   
exist...  
  
[Shot of the three girls, setting up a fire to boil a cauldron of   
pitch.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...because to them, the dog was as real as he was...  
  
[Shot of Kano, shaking her good fist at the crowd.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...even, or especially, to the woodcutter most of all,   
who believed in the dog so much, perhaps, that he really believed it   
had bitten his hand.  
  
[Suddenly the film appears to break in the projector; it goes off line,   
and suddenly the screen is white.]  
  
[SFX: The film flipping around in its reel, making slapping noises all   
the while.]  
  
--  
La chienne noire du raconteur  
--  



	3. Les perces-neiges de fevrier

[Cut to a front view of Kano's head and shoulders as she lies on   
her futon, her eyes shut. Her eyes snap open, slowly shut again, then   
open again more slowly, tentatively. She might moan a bit. She turns   
her head to the left.]  
  
[Shot of an electric clock reading 9:08 PM.]  
  
[Cut back to Kano's head and shoulders. She settles back for a moment   
and shuts her eyes.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[SFX: The hinges of the door creaking open.]  
  
[Kano looks up (to the right) at the sound of the door.]  
  
Yukino: [off; calling downstairs] She went to bed early, Tsukino. Guess   
she was real tired...No, I don't think she did eat. I left food for her   
but...Yeah, I guess she could be feeling sick, maybe... Actually, I'm   
not feeling so good myself. I should probably turn in early, that's   
what I was about to do...yeah, I guess I do sound a little hoarse.   
Could be the 'flu, you don't know...You wanna tell Mom and Dad we went   
to bed?...Okay, Tsukino. Study hard now. Good night.  
  
[SFX: The door creaking shut.]  
  
[SFX: Footsteps across the carpet.]  
  
[Kano shoves her head into her pillow.]  
  
[Shot of Kano from the waist up, lying on her stomach on the futon,   
still in her uniform. A pair of arms draw a sheet over Kano.]  
  
[Cut back to Kano's head and shoulders. She looks up to see who has   
come in.]  
  
[Shot in the dim light, from the floor, of Yukino's bare feet and her   
ankles, covered by the sweatpants. The pants fall to the floor, and   
Yukino steps out of them.]  
  
[Shot of Yukino, from the waist up, her bare back turned to the camera.   
She puts on her nightshirt.]  
  
[Shot of Yukino's face from right profile. She has taken out her   
barrettes. Her expression is sad, pensive, not a little guilty; her   
eyes are puffy, as if she has been crying.]  
  
[Cut back to Kano's head and shoulders. She frowns and turns her head   
left, away from Yukino.]  
  
Kano: [nastily] Oh. It's just you.  
  
[SFX: Yukino drawing her sheets over herself.]  
  
[Shot from above of Tsukino's (empty) futon and of Kano in her futon   
under her sheets, her head turned to the viewer's right, an unpleasant   
expression on her face. As before, Yukino is off camera to the left.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: [off; softly] If you're still awake, you should probably go eat   
your dinner before Tsukino eats it on you. She just got back.   
  
Kano: Maybe I'm not hungry. Did that ever happen to you?  
  
Yukino: [off; concerned] It's not good to go to bed without eating   
anything.  
  
Kano: [unimpressed] You don't say.  
  
Yukino: [off] Did I wake you?  
  
[Close up of Kano's head and shoulders from above, poking out of the   
futon. She screws her eyes shut.]  
  
Kano: What do you care whether I was asleep or not? Didn't stop you   
yelling all the way down the stairs. You wanna shut up and let me go   
back to sleep?  
  
Yukino: [off; thoughtful, apologetic] Yes. [beat] Yes, I probably   
should.  
  
Kano: [relieved] Yes, you should.  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: [off; tentatively] Kano?  
  
Kano: [through her teeth] Now what?  
  
Yukino: [off] I know this sounds weird, but I was thinking of Mrs.   
Thibodeaux tonight for some reason. You have her for English, right?  
  
[Kano opens her eyes.]  
  
Kano: Yeah, what about it?  
  
Yukino: [off] Just wondering how she was. I haven't seen her in a   
while, is all.  
  
Kano: Fine, far as I can tell. Why?  
  
Yukino: [off] I wondered if I should go visit her one of these days. Of   
course I don't know if she remembers me, but...  
  
Kano: [disgusted] Oh, she remembers you all right. You're all she talks   
about. I can't even cough without setting her going about how cool you   
are. I'm sure that brings you great satisfaction. Happy now?  
  
Yukino: [off] I thought you might say that.   
  
Kano: Is that a fact? Then why'd you ask?   
  
Yukino: [off] She thought the world of me, even more than the other   
teachers did. Someone'd screw up, she'd be like, "Why can't you apply   
yourself like Miyazawa?" [beat] Guess she still is. [beat] She really   
shouldn't, you know. Someone needs to tell her that.  
  
[Kano screws her eyes shut again.]  
  
Kano: Nice to know your heart bleeds for me. You done?  
  
Yukino: [off] I was just thinking, you see...  
  
Kano: [ironic] You were? Call the papers!  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: [off] It occurred to me...she never saw me like I am at home.   
If she had, she wouldn't have used me to beat people over the head   
with.  
  
[Kano opens her eyes, appears to think about that.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: [off] Am I wrong?  
  
Kano: I dunno. [suddenly screws her eyes shut] Is there a point to all   
this? Because if there is you'd better get to it fast.  
  
Yukino: [off] I don't suppose you ever mentioned what I was like at   
home to Mrs. Thibodeaux, did you?  
  
Kano: No. What'd be the point? Why, is it my fault she thinks you're   
God now? Are you going somewhere with this or not?  
  
Yukino: [off] Kind of. I wanted to ask you...  
  
[Kano opens her eyes, turns left to look towards Yukino.]  
  
[Shot from the floor, from Kano's perspective, of Yukino lying under   
the covers of her futon, her head poking out, her face turned from the   
camera.]  
  
Yukino: I just wondered if you wanted me to tell her myself, somehow.  
  
[Close up of Kano's face as she looks to her right towards Yukino's   
futon (straight ahead from camera's perspective) poking out from under   
the futon, her hands clasped to the viewer's right just beside her   
chin. Her expression is suddenly curious.]  
  
Kano: Huh?  
  
[Cut back to Kano's perspective of Yukino lying under her futon, her   
face away from the camera.]  
  
Yukino: This is information she needs. I mean...she really shouldn't be   
holding me up to the world as something I'm not. Least of all to you,   
you know better. I didn't know how much it bothered you, but I guess it   
does. [beat; she might shift under her sheets] Problem is, I'm not sure   
how I can really do that. Do you have any ideas?  
  
[Shot from above of Kano's face as she looks right (viewer's left)   
towards Yukino's futon.]  
  
Kano: What did you have in mind?  
  
[Cut back to Kano's perspective of Yukino lying under her futon, her   
face away from the camera.]  
  
Yukino: I don't know. [beat] Actually...you know that picture of me in   
the living room?  
  
[Shot from above of Kano's face as she looks right (viewer's left)   
towards Yukino's futon.]  
  
Kano: Yeah, your junior high graduation photo. What about it?  
  
[Cut back to Kano's perspective of Yukino lying under her futon, her   
face away from the camera.]  
  
Yukino: I was thinking I should go to South Shirakawa and burn it right   
in front of her.   
  
[Shot of Kano suddenly sitting up in her futon.]  
  
Kano: [scandalized] _What?_  
  
[Cut back to Kano's perspective of Yukino lying under her futon, her   
face away from the camera. She might shift under the sheet a little.]  
  
Yukino: I wouldn't go in my uniform either. She'd have to see what I   
was really like. So I'd have to go in my sweatsuit and my glasses.   
[beat] Or naked. Doesn't matter. It'd get her attention either way.  
  
[Shot of Kano sitting up in her futon, looking to her right towards   
Yukino, a suitably scandalized look on her face.]  
  
Kano: [horrified] No KIDDING it would! Hers and the whole city's!   
Forget you--do you think _I'd_ ever live that down?   
  
[Cut back to Kano's perspective of Yukino lying under her futon, her   
face away from the camera.]  
  
Yukino: [apologetic] No. I guess you wouldn't either. That would be   
very self-centered of me, wouldn't it?  
  
[Cut back to Kano sitting up in her futon, suddenly looking very   
angry.]   
  
Kano: _Sister. _Dear._ If you even _dare_ try something like that   
I'll...  
  
[Cut back to Kano's perspective of Yukino lying under her futon, her   
face away from the camera.]  
  
Yukino: Don't worry. I'm not going to. [shifts under her sheets] But I   
don't have a clue what else I can do.  
  
[Cut back to Kano sitting up in her futon, scowling.]  
  
Kano: [at the end of her tether] I don't know either. How about   
nothing? Why don't you just leave me alone for once in your life, for   
Pete's sake? Let me sleep, maybe? Oooooooooh...!  
  
[Full length shot from above of Kano throwing herself back on her   
futon, pulling the sheets back over herself and screwing her eyes   
shut.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: [off; tentatively] Kano...  
  
Kano: [angrily] I don't want to know, okay? Just shut up and leave me   
alone!  
  
Yukino: [off] I don't know if you want to or not. Problem is I don't   
really know how to say it.  
  
Kano: What if I don't care?  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: [off; apologetic] Look...I really shouldn't have laid into you   
like that. I should have known better...  
  
Kano: Yeah, maybe you should have.  
  
Yukino: [off; gently] I guess I mean...I don't know what to do right   
now, Kano. I don't know what to say. I never had my heart broken like   
this...  
  
[Close up of Kano's head turned to viewer's right, poking out of her   
futon. She is by now clearly irritated.]  
  
Kano: No, you haven't had your heart broken like me. Maybe you should   
try it sometime. You know what, sis? I'm just hoping and praying for   
the day Arima dumps you so you can see what us mere mortals have to go   
through. Then you can lecture me all you want. 'Til then don't talk to   
me about it any more, all right? Since when have you cared how I felt   
anyway?  
  
[Kano covers her head with the sheet.]  
  
[Shot from above of Tsukino's empty futon and Kano's futon. Kano is now   
completely covered by the sheet.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: [off; thoughtful, not at all ironic] I wonder when myself.  
  
[Shot from under the sheet of Kano's left profile from the waist up,   
her face turned towards the camera (away from Yukino), her eyes screwed   
shut.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: [off] I don't plan to tell Mom and Dad where you were.  
  
[Kano opens her eyes for a moment.]  
  
Kano: Oh. [shuts her eyes again; grudgingly] Thanks for covering my   
butt, I guess.  
  
Yukino: [off] That's okay. [beat] That wasn't the only reason I did it,   
though.  
  
Kano: [guarded] Is that a fact?  
  
Yukino: [off] I figured you'd been yelled at enough...  
  
Kano: [ironic] You don't say.  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: [off] That, and I kind of owed you from Christmas Eve.   
  
[Kano opens her eyes again.]  
  
Kano: What makes you say that?  
  
Yukino: You see...Arima would have gotten in a lot more trouble than I   
would have. And I mean a _lot_ more trouble. I don't know what Dad   
would have done to Arima if he'd found out about what we did. [beat]   
I'm not sure I want to. [beat] I don't think I ever told you how   
grateful I am for what you did for us. So I figured you'd appreciate me   
doing the same thing for you and Asapin. [beat] Good night, Kano.  
  
[Beat. Kano might blink once or twice.]  
  
Kano: [suddenly confused] Waitasec.   
  
[Full length shot of Kano's futon from her right profile. She suddenly   
sits up and turns towards Yukino.]  
  
Kano: [genuinely curious] What made you think I was going to tell Dad   
anything at all?   
  
[Shot from Kano's perspective of Yukino lying under her futon, her   
face away from the camera.]  
  
Yukino: Dad wanted to make sure Arima didn't do anything to me. That's   
why he told you and Tsukino to stay up until I got in.  
  
[Shot of Kano from her right profile, sitting up in her futon, facing   
towards Yukino. She shuts her eyes in disgust; she might groan a bit.]  
  
Kano: [disgusted] Oh for...come _on_, sis, it's not like I care what   
you guys do together, right? I'm not a kid you know.  
  
[Shot from the floor of the head of Kano's futon. She slumps back down   
onto it, head turned towards the ceiling, her eyes shut.]  
  
Kano: [a bit peeved] Anyway, where did Dad think he got off telling me   
and Tsukino to interfere with your date? Not like your relationship's   
any of his business. 'Sides, all it'd have done is started a fight, and   
I actually kind of like Arima. And even if I didn't they don't pay us   
enough for espionage...  
  
Yukino: [off] Except that's just it, Kano. One day it's going to become   
Dad's business whether he likes it or not. And there's going to be a   
fight anyway. And there's not a thing any of us can do about it.  
  
[Close up of Kano's head from right profile. Her eyes open.]  
  
Kano: What do you mean?  
  
Yukino: [off] Because one fine day Arima might ask to marry me, or   
somebody'll ask Tsukino or you to marry them, and it'll become Dad's   
business. [beat] I don't know what'll happen then.   
  
[Kano turns her head towards the camera (i.e. towards Yukino).]  
  
[Shot from Kano's perspective of Yukino lying under her futon, her   
face away from the camera.]  
  
Yukino: We're his little princesses, Kano. We're all Dad's got. He's   
not ready to give us up. [beat] Arima told me that night I'm all he's   
got. And he might have meant it too. Kano, Arima put someone in the   
hospital who never even _met_ me, never mind harmed me, just because   
the guy _joked_ about taking me from him. It's a miracle he's not   
sitting in jail.   
  
[Cut back to Kano's face. The idea seems to have unnerved her as well.]  
  
Yukino: [off] And that scares me, Kano, because I don't know what   
they're capable of. And I don't want either of them to get hurt. I   
don't want anyone hurt because of me.  
  
[Kano suddenly scowls, screws up her eyes again.]  
  
Kano: [ironic] Oh, my heart bleeds. I'm crying, I _don't_ think! [opens   
her eyes, raises her voice; contemptuously] Couldn't we all use a guy   
who'd kill someone to defend our honor, _if any_? You think I don't   
know what you're like?  
  
[Cut back to Kano's perspective of Yukino lying under her futon, her   
face away from the camera.]  
  
Kano: [off] You get off on the idea that Arima and Dad think you're so   
fucking special they'd tear each other to pieces for you, don't you,   
pardon my _French_? [laughs harshly] Actually, come to think of it,   
knowing you, you probably get off on the idea so much that making out   
with Arima's just the icing on the cake! If you're so worried about Dad   
kicking Arima's butt because you were making out with him, keep your   
hands to yourself from now on!  
  
[Cut back to Kano's face. She screws her eyes shut again.]  
  
Kano: [almost spitting the words] You make me sick! [turns away]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: [off] Kano...  
  
Kano: Shut up!  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: [off; trying again, almost begging] Kano, please. I want...  
  
Kano: It's all about _you_, isn't it? [covers herself with the sheet]  
  
[Shot from under the sheet of Kano's head and shoulders from left   
profile, her face turned towards the camera (away from Yukino), her   
eyes screwed shut.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: [off] That's what I'm afraid of, Kano.  
  
Kano: [through her teeth] Listen, do you _want_ me to slug you? Because   
I'm ready to do it just about now.  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: [off] I'd let you, too. I'd let you do a lot worse besides.  
  
[Kano's eyes snap open.]  
  
[Full length shot of Kano's futon from her right profile. She suddenly   
sits up and turns towards Yukino.]  
  
Kano: What's that supposed to mean?  
  
[Shot from Kano's perspective of Yukino lying under her futon, her   
face away from the camera.]  
  
Yukino: [a little sadly] Kano, did you really know what we did when we   
were alone? Really and truly?  
  
[Shot of Kano's head and shoulders. She is silent a moment, a bit taken   
aback by the question, then goes back on the offensive.]  
  
Kano: [her intelligence insulted] What are you asking me a question   
like that for? I'm not a kid, you know!  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: [off] I'm asking...  
  
[Cut back to Kano's perspective of Yukino.]  
  
Yukino: ...because if you weren't going to tell on me and Arima no   
matter what, I need to know why you said anything at all.  
  
[Cut back to Kano's face.]  
  
Kano: What? [not sure how to answer] I dunno. To piss you off.   
[combative again] I don't know! What's your point anyway?  
  
Yukino: [off] I think I made it your business, Kano.   
  
Kano: [taken aback] Huh?   
  
[Cut back to Kano's perspective of Yukino. Yukino might shift under her   
covers.]  
  
Yukino: [softly, not a hint of accusation in her voice] Because if it   
hadn't become your business, I don't think you'd have said anything at   
all. [beat] Kano, I need you to promise me something. Promise me that   
at Asapin's you didn't try to...to...[trails off]  
  
[Cut back to Kano's face. She seems confused by the question.]  
  
Kano: Try to what?   
  
[The penny apparently drops; she suddenly is silent, reflective, a   
little embarrassed, the anger going out of her face for a moment. She   
turns away from Yukino's futon.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[Shot of Kano from just beyond Yukino's futon. Yukino's body is covered   
with her sheet; her face is still not visible, being just off camera to   
viewer's left. Kano is sitting up in bed, looking away from Yukino's   
futon.]  
  
Kano: Sis, he never touched me. He wouldn't...[looks up] Hey.  
  
[Close up of Kano's head and shoulders. She looks towards Yukino's   
futon again, suddenly furious.]   
  
Kano: HEY!  
  
[Shot of Kano's right profile from the neck down as she sits up in bed.   
She quickly stands up and walks toward the camera (i.e. towards   
Yukino's futon).]   
  
[Shot from above and to the left of Yukino's futon. Yukino's head and   
body are turned to camera left; however, she has drawn her sheet over   
her face, so it is still not visible.]  
  
Kano: [off; from above] I'm not a tramp like you!  
  
[Shot of Kano's right profile from the waist up as she looks down on   
Yukino, looking ready to kill.]  
  
Kano: Is that what you're insinuating? Huh?  
  
[Shot from above and to the left of Yukino's futon, just about from   
Kano's perspective if she had been kneeling down beside her. Yukino's   
head and body are turned to camera left, her face still obscured by the   
sheet.]  
  
Kano: [off] You're gonna say stuff like that, look at me when you do   
it!  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[Kano's hands pull the sheet off.]  
  
[Close up on Yukino's torso. Kano's hands roughly grab Yukino's   
shoulders.]  
  
[Shot from left profile of Kano as she kneels beside Yukino's futon,   
still furious.]  
  
Kano: I said LOOK AT ME...! [suddenly taken aback; trails off] Huh?  
  
[Shot from above of Yukino from the waist up. Yukino, clad in her   
nightshirt, is lying on her side, staring blankly as if through Kano,   
her mouth slightly open, looking for all the world like a corpse,   
except for the tears in her eyes and the occasional heaving sob, which,   
perhaps, she had been trying to stifle through the sheets.]  
  
[Shot from above, from the ceiling perhaps, of Yukino lying on her   
futon, and Kano, kneeling to her left.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[Close up on Yukino's torso. Kano's hands slowly let go of Yukino's   
shoulders.]  
  
[Close up of Yukino's face. She slowly looks up towards Kano.]  
  
[Shot from Yukino's perspective of Kano, kneeling down beside her. All   
the anger is gone from her expression; she now looks concerned, perhaps   
a little afraid.]  
  
Kano: [very softly] Sis?  
  
[Black screen.]  
  
[SFX: Someone roughly grabbing another's body.]  
  
[Shot of Yukino, right, on her knees in front of Kano, left, embracing   
her tightly, as if clinging to her for dear life; her face is hidden   
from view behind the back of Kano's head. Kano does not resist, but   
does not at first return the embrace; her arms hang limp to her sides.]  
  
[Close up of Kano's face from over Yukino's left shoulder. She is   
stunned into silence, clearly not sure what to think or do.]  
  
Yukino: [off; softly, tenderly, but extremely sadly] No, love. I'm not   
accusing you of a single thing. I'm just happy you're home and you're   
safe.  
  
[Close up of Yukino's face from over Kano's left shoulder, her   
expression a mask of guilt and shame, her eyes shut.]  
  
Yukino: But I think I might have done something horrible to you, Kano.   
  
[Close up of Kano's face.]  
  
Yukino: [off] You weren't asleep. I _knew_ you weren't asleep, and for   
all I knew you could hear everything.   
  
[Close up of Yukino's face from over Kano's left shoulder.]  
  
Yukino: But I went ahead and did it just the same. [sobs silently but   
visibly, biting her lip; she is clearly struggling not to break down   
completely] Shit, why didn't I just invite you and Tsukino to join the   
party while I was at it? Or call up Mom and Dad just so I didn't miss   
anyone?   
  
[Close up of Kano's face. Her confusion has turned to shock; she might   
look a little sick.]  
  
Yukino: [off; in self-mockery, not a bit of mirth in her voice] "Merry   
Christmas, Dad! Us girls are having a blast over here with Arima! Hey,   
don't get pissed off, I'll make it up to you, I promise! Oh, I know!   
Dad, you always said I was hotter than Mom, right? You up for some   
family fun?"  
  
Kano: [horrified] My God...sis, why are you telling me this?  
  
[Close up of Yukino's face from over Kano's left shoulder.]  
  
Yukino: [sobs] Because I'm _ashamed_ of it, Kano! I don't know how you   
can even look at that couch any more, never mind me...  
  
[Shot of Kano's back. Yukino's arms, clasped around it in a bearhug,   
tighten around Kano.]  
  
Yukino: [off; her voice cracking] Oh God, Kano, I was so scared...!  
  
[Close up of Yukino's face from over Kano's left shoulder.]  
  
Yukino: When Aya told me you'd been at her place, and I looked through   
my stuff and realized the map to Asapin's was in there as well...  
  
[Close up of Kano from the waist up, this time from right profile,   
still in Yukino's embrace. She has gone beyond confusion to simply   
being overwhelmed.]  
  
Yukino: [sobs; endearing] ...and I came home and you'd obviously been   
and gone because you'd left the kitchen in a mess like you always do,   
you silly thing...[sobs; starts to babble]...and I realized where you   
had to have gone, and I panicked and I called Asapin but he had no idea   
where you were, and I couldn't even go look because you could have been   
anywhere, and for all I knew some pervert had gotten his hands on you   
and left you dead in some alley and I thought I'd go mad...oh God,   
Kano, if you'd gotten hurt because you thought you needed to give   
yourself to a man so you could be a big girl and you could be special   
just like me, I'd have...oh dear merciful God...oh Kano, what have I   
done to you?  
  
[She lets go of Kano's body, and takes Kano's face in her hands. We now   
see Yukino's face in left profile. There are fresh tears in her (now   
open) eyes; she smiles a gentle smile trying to be reassuring but   
betraying heartbreak, the smile of a mother to a dying child;   
throughout her next speech she might stroke Kano's hair and kiss her   
frantically on the forehead and cheeks ad lib.]  
  
Yukino: [babbling frantically] Kano, I'm so sorry! I don't want you to   
be like me! I don't want you to ever be _anything_ like me! _I'm_ the   
horrible one! _I'm_ the showoff! _I'm_ the liar! _I'm_ the coward!   
_I'm_ the slut! _I'm_ the one who's dirty and disgusting! Not you! All   
I want you to be is the good, happy little girl that everyone loved and   
always set her big sister straight and never hurt a living soul and was   
always so much better than her big sister ever was, now and forever!   
I'll do anything to get her back, anything at all! I won't be   
disgusting any more, I promise! [laughs through her sobs] Who needs a   
silly boyfriend anyway? I don't want one any more, not if it's going to   
hurt my little Kano, or Daddy, or anybody! I don't want to hurt anyone   
any more! Least of all you! I'm going to be the big sister I should   
have been for you all along, Kano! Can I, please? You won't be sorry, I   
promise! I won't do anything bad to you any more! I'll always be a good   
example for you! I'll always stick by you, through thick and thin,   
you'll see! I'll always be right by your side! I'll keep you safe from   
everything bad, now and forever, and you won't have to cry any more...!  
  
[Close up of Yukino's face from the front. She suddenly stops her   
tirade; her smile evaporates; she hangs her head, no longer able to   
look Kano in the eye.]  
  
[Shot from the front of Kano's head and shoulders. Yukino's hands let   
Kano's face go and slowly fall away towards Kano's shoulders.]  
  
Yukino: [off] But it wouldn't make the least bit of difference, would   
it? [beat] I don't know what you think I am. I can't give you Asapin.   
And even if I could, I can't make you happy, can I? I was the one who   
made you unhappy to begin with. I can't protect you from the whole   
world if I can't protect you from myself...  
  
[Close up of Yukino's face from left profile, her eyes hidden my her   
bangs. She bites her lip. Tears start to flow down her cheeks.]  
  
[Shot of Yukino from left profile, from the neck down. She takes Kano   
in her arms again and holds Kano's head to her own chest, Kano's face   
turned right (towards the camera) and with that begins to weep   
bitterly, perhaps as if Kano were dead in her arms. She might resume   
stroking Kano's hair. For her part Kano's expression, at first still   
overwhelmed, turns slowly to being clearly upset herself, a little   
fearful, a little guilty as well.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[Shot of the view of the city from the window of the Miyazawa girls'   
bedroom. The red aircraft warning lights of the factory are visible in   
the distance, winking on and off.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[Close up on Kano's face from the front. She does not look at Yukino as   
she speaks to her, perhaps out of shame.]  
  
Kano: [clearly worried] Sis...Asaba said he wouldn't tell you I was at   
his place. That must have been why he said he hadn't seen me. He must   
have thought you'd be angry.  
  
[Close up front view of Yukino's face, tears streaming down, her eyes   
hidden by her bangs.]  
  
Yukino: [struggling to speak through her tears; trying to sound   
reassuring] Why did you think I'd be angry with you, love? You didn't   
do anything wrong...  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[Close up on Kano's face.]  
  
Kano: Sis...what if I had? [beat] What if I was as dirty and disgusting   
as you?  
  
[Close up front view of Yukino's face, tears streaming down, her eyes   
hidden by her bangs.]  
  
Yukino: [trying to cry out through her tears; succeeding mostly in   
croaking] _No!_ Don't say that! Don't even think that! It's not true! I   
don't want it to be true! Not my little angel!  
  
[Close up on Kano's face. She might draw a deep breath, as if gathering   
courage.]  
  
Kano: [trying again] Sis...that night...you weren't very loud at all. I   
couldn't have heard you from upstairs if I tried. I just said that to   
upset you.  
  
[Close up of Yukino's hand on Kano's head. Yukino stops stroking Kano's   
hair; however, the hand does not move from Kano's head.]  
  
[Close up of Yukino's face from left profile. She looks down towards   
her chest (i.e. towards Kano), more than a little shocked.]  
  
Yukino: [still choked] What do you mean?  
  
[Close up on Kano's face. Her expression is clearly ashamed.]  
  
Kano: [embarrassed; struggling to explain] You see...I couldn't fall   
back asleep, and I didn't hear the door slam...so I knew he couldn't   
have left, and I thought you guys must be kissing or something...and I   
was curious, so I thought I'd go listen and I could tease you in the   
morning about it, maybe.  
  
[Close up of Yukino's face from left profile, still shocked but   
attentive.]  
  
Kano: [off] And I crept downstairs as far as I could where I couldn't   
see you, but I knew you guys wouldn't be able to see me, so I could   
hear everything, pretty much...and I guess I figured you'd kiss or call   
each other silly names that I could tease you about in the morning, and   
that'd be it...[her voice might begin to waver in fear]...if I'd known   
what you were really going to do, I'd have never dared, sis, honest...   
but I guess I didn't...or maybe I did, but I blocked it out or some   
darn thing...I was like, "Yukino and Arima doing it? Get real!"  
  
[Close up on Kano's face. Fear has been added to shame; she might bite   
her lip in apprehension.]  
  
Kano: [struggling to continue] And...and by the time I realized what   
you were doing I couldn't move, because I knew if I made a noise you'd   
hear me and rip me to shreds and it'd be my own fault...or at least   
that's what I told myself, but I think maybe part of me didn't want to   
move either...  
  
[Close up of Yukino's face from left profile, shocked but attentive.]  
  
Kano: [off; her voice trembling] ...it didn't sound anything like in   
the movies or TV or anything...it wasn't like anything I'd ever heard   
in my life...so I knew I shouldn't be there, but I couldn't stop   
listening...and I just sat there like a statue with my heart pounding   
in my chest, until I guess you were finished and I heard someone get up   
off the couch and start walking towards the stairs, and I finally   
snapped out of it and I panicked and moved as fast as I could back   
towards the room and dove into bed.  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: [finally; she has gotten her breath back while Kano spoke; not   
at all angry, more unsure what to think] Kano...why did you tell me   
that just now?  
  
[Shot of Yukino from the neck down, embracing Kano. Kano extricates   
herself from the embrace.]  
  
[Close up of Yukino's face from left profile. She raises her head to   
follow Kano's face as Kano moves to a more upright position.]  
  
Kano: [off] Because...I guess...  
  
[Front view of Kano's head and shoulders. She looks down and to the   
left, not daring to look Yukino in the eye quite yet, and now looks   
extremely ashamed.]  
  
Kano: I guess...I wanted to say I was sorry for violating your privacy   
like that.  
  
[Close up of Kano's hands, clasped in her lap. She squeezes them   
together in apprehension.]  
  
Kano: [off] Because I didn't have any right. And...I'm sorry for   
running off like that and for saying all those mean things to you and   
blaming you because Asaba didn't like me or saying you didn't care   
about me, because it wasn't true...  
  
[Front view of Kano's head and shoulders. She slowly lifts her head to   
look at Yukino. She is now upset as well as ashamed.]  
  
Kano: ...because I did a bunch of dumb stuff because I wanted to be all   
grown up and I didn't know what I was doing, and I had no right to hurt   
you like that, and I'm really sorry, and it really wasn't your fault,   
and I really don't hate you, and I don't want you to torture yourself   
any more.  
  
[Front view of Yukino's head and shoulders. Kano's hand might reach out   
to wipe away some of her tears.]  
  
Kano: [off] Don't cry any more, sis, please?  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: [finally; struggling not to start crying again] Oh, Kano...  
  
[Front view of Kano's head and shoulders.]  
  
Kano: You were crying downstairs, weren't you? Because I yelled at you   
like that.   
  
[Front view of Yukino's head and shoulders. She nods, smiles sadly.]  
  
Yukino: Just a little. [laughs a bit] Okay, make that a lot.  
  
[Front view of Kano's head and shoulders. Now that it is clear that   
Yukino is not going to skin her alive she has relaxed a bit, but she   
still looks a little upset.]  
  
Yukino: [off] But you know, Kano, I don't think I would have cried so   
much, if I hadn't thought it was true. Because if you hated me, I   
thought, I deserved every bit of it...  
  
[Kano hangs her head in shame once more.]  
  
Kano: Sis...you said you'd never had your heart broken by a guy...  
  
Yukino: [off] What do you mean?  
  
Kano: I mean...[looks up] I don't think it really matters, because I   
think I did a bang-up job all on my own.  
  
[Shot from the neck down of the two girls as they kneel before each   
other. Yukino takes Kano's hands in hers; she might rub them gently.]  
  
Yukino: [off; softly] Oh, Kano...  
  
Kano: [off] You were really worried about me, huh?  
  
Yukino: [off; reflective] Yes. Yes, I guess I was.  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Kano: [off] I'm really grateful. That you wanted so badly for me to be   
safe, I mean. [laughs a bit] I guess I never realized you had it in   
you.  
  
Yukino: [off; tenderly] It's okay...  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Kano: [off] You know, sis...when you came upstairs tonight, you looked   
a lot like Mom did, on New Year's. Real loving, but real sad. You know   
what I mean?  
  
Yukino: [off; thoughtful] I think so.  
  
Kano: [off] Actually, now I think of it, for a moment I thought it was   
her putting the covers over me. But that was you, right?  
  
Yukino: [off; laughs a little] Figured it was the least I could do.  
  
Kano: [off; tentatively] Sis...this is going to sound real weird,   
but...  
  
Yukino: [off; curious] But what?  
  
Kano: [off] If I tell you, you gotta promise not to get mad, okay?  
  
Yukino: [off] Okay. I promise.  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Kano: [off] I didn't realize it until now myself, but...tonight you   
sounded like you did that night.  
  
Yukino: [off; she catches her breath; she might tighten her grip on   
Kano's hands; a bit scandalized] Like _that_ night? What's that   
supposed to mean?  
  
Kano: [off] I'd never heard you talk like that before, ever. So it was   
weird, but it was really nice. Real soft and gentle and tender.   
Like...I don't know how to say this exactly but...if I didn't know any   
better I'd have said like a mother.  
  
[Close up of Yukino's face from left profile. Shock has mostly given   
way to incomprehension.]  
  
Yukino: A mother?  
  
[Close up of Kano's face from right profile. She is now smiling.]  
  
Kano: Hm-hmm. Really caring and protective and stuff. [beat] I didn't   
hear the voice again until tonight. So I guess I didn't make the   
connection myself until now. [beat] I bet you'd make a great mom, sis.  
  
[Close up of Yukino's face from left profile. She looks pleased, though   
a bit embarrassed, but for all that thoughtful; she laughs a bit; she   
might blush, look away from Kano.]  
  
Yukino: Thanks, I think...what can I say, I've turned into a real   
mother hen lately. Can't think why...  
  
[Shot from the neck down of the two girls as they kneel before each   
other. Yukino is still holding Kano's hands in hers.]  
  
Kano: [off; reassuring] You don't have to apologize for it. I really   
like you this way.  
  
Yukino: [off; pleased, but embarrassed] Oh yeah?  
  
Kano: [off] Yeah.  
  
[Close up on Yukino's and Kano's hands. Kano extricates her right hand   
from Yukino's and starts to raise it.]  
  
Kano: [off] But, you know, sis...  
  
[Close up of Yukino's face from left profile. Kano has placed her right   
hand on Yukino's left cheek; Yukino looks surprised.]  
  
Kano: [off] I'm not so sure I'll be needing a mom much longer.  
  
Yukino: I don't understand...  
  
Kano: [off] I guess I mean...even if you tried you can't protect me   
forever from doing dumb stuff, right? I mean, Mom really _is_ my mom,   
and she couldn't stop me from running off to Asaba's.   
  
[Close up of Kano's face from right profile. She is still smiling, but   
the smile is now less admiration than reassurance.]  
  
Kano: As for you...it's not something you should think you have to do.   
I really appreciate it, but it's not your job, really it's not. You can   
look after Arima, maybe. You can't look after the whole world.  
  
[Close up of Yukino's face from left profile, Kano's hand on her   
cheek.]  
  
Kano: [off] Besides, I'm thinking that all this started because I   
didn't want to be a little girl that someone needed to protect any   
more.  
  
Yukino: [still not understanding] But...isn't there anything I can do   
for you at all?  
  
[Close up of Kano's face from right profile.]  
  
Kano: You can help me be a big girl. Will you do that for me?  
  
[Close up of Yukino's face from left profile, Kano's hand on her cheek.   
Yukino is smiling gratefully, as if honored to take on the assignment.]  
  
Yukino: [nodding] Yes. I'd like that very much.  
  
[Close up on Yukino's hands, which are still gently holding Kano's left   
hand.]  
  
Kano: [off] Sis...?  
  
Yukino: [off; softly] Yes?  
  
Kano: [off] Asaba wouldn't tell me who he liked. Do you know?  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: [off] Yes. Yes, I think I do.  
  
Kano: [off] Who is it?  
  
Yukino: [off; laughing sadly] Not me, thank God. [beat] Is that who you   
were afraid it was?  
  
Kano: [off] Maybe a little.  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Yukino: [off] I'm not really supposed to know, though, so that's all I   
can tell you. [beat] I'm sorry.  
  
Kano: [off] 'Sokay. It doesn't matter any more.  
  
Yukino: [off; concerned] Will you be okay, Kano? Really and truly?  
  
[Kano squeezes Yukino's hand.]  
  
Kano: [off] I think so, yes.  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[Still of the box of chocolates sitting on the desk.]  
  
Yukino: [off] Kano...  
  
Kano: [off] Yes?  
  
Yukino: [off] What are you going to do with those chocolates now?  
  
Kano: [off] I dunno.  
  
Yukino: [off; laughs a bit] You don't know, Dad might like to be   
humored for one more year.  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Kano: [off] Actually, Sis...do you want them?  
  
Yukino: [off; taken aback] What? Me?  
  
Kano: [off] Uh-huh.  
  
Yukino: [off; unsure how to react] I don't know...Arima doesn't like   
chocolate, you know...  
  
Kano: [off] So give 'em to Tsubasa.  
  
Yukino: [off] I guess she'd eat them, sure, but...  
  
Kano: [off; laughs] Just take 'em, already.  
  
Yukino: [off; laughs with her] Okay, whatever...  
  
Kano: [off; reflective] Anyway...this is probably going to sound really   
weird, but...  
  
Yukino: [off] What?  
  
[Front view of Kano's head and shoulders. She is smiling.]  
  
Kano: [off] I'm not sure they were ever really for Asapin to start   
with.  
  
[Front view of Yukino's head and shoulders. She appears not to know   
what to make of Kano's remark.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[Black screen.]  
  
[Caption in white type: THUS KANO AND YUKINO MIYAZAWA WERE FOR THE   
FIRST TIME ABLE TO OPEN THEIR HEARTS TO EACH OTHER'S GAZE, NOT AS GIRLS   
BUT AS YOUNG WOMEN.]  
  
[Caption in white type: HOWEVER, THERE IS NO ROOM HERE TO REPEAT ALL OF   
WHICH THEY SPOKE THAT NIGHT.]  
  
[Caption in white type: WITH THAT IN MIND, WE MOVE FORWARD TO WHAT   
TRANSPIRED WHEN THEY EMERGED FROM THEIR CHAMBER.]  
  
[Cut to Kano, now clad in a T-shirt and shorts, attacking some takeout   
food like a starving man (and indeed she is starving, having skipped   
dinner).]  
  
Tsukino: [off] Kano, you mind not spraying bits of rice all over my   
notebook? Do you have any idea how gross that is?  
  
Kano: [in between bites] Your fault for studying at the kitchen table.  
  
[Shot of Tsukino seated at the kitchen table, surrounded by books and   
notes, and looking peeved.]  
  
Tsukino: I couldn't study anywhere else, with you guys upstairs! I   
thought you were sick anyway...  
  
[Cut back to Kano, still attacking the takeout.]  
  
Kano: [in between bites] I was. Can't you tell? Say, Mom, this stuff   
kicks butt. Where'd you guys go anyway?  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off; gushing] To Murasaki's. Best sushi I've ever had.   
Didn't you think it was lovely, dear?  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off] Not as lovely as the chocolates, honey!  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off] Oh, stop! [titters] I should confess, though...the   
ones I really wanted to get you were gone from Chocolatier Kawasaki   
before I got around to buying them. I'm sorry...  
  
[Close up on Kano's face from the front. She looks left (towards her   
mother and father off camera), ceasing in her attack on the food and   
looking pensive.]  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off] Oh, come on, honey, it's all right!   
  
[Cut back to Tsukino, who has turned back to her studies.]  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off] Why, the night's not even over for me! Not 'til   
I've gotten chocolate from the other women in my life!  
  
[Cue bulging vein at extreme camera left.]  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off; not amused] Namely...?  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off; putting her at ease] Why, my little princesses of   
course!  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[Cue sweatdrop at extreme camera right.]  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off; expectant] Well?  
  
Tsukino: [unimpressed] Dad, I've been too busy studying.  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off; thunderstruck] You don't mean...  
  
[Cut back to Kano, now eating more demurely.]  
  
Kano: [careful not to show her hand] I've had other stuff going on.  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off; clutching at a straw] Yukino, surely...  
  
Yukino: [off; apologetic] Dad, I kind of have a man. Pretty possessive,   
too. If he heard he'd kick my ass.  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off; heartbroken] You mean...none of you bothered?   
Really? [sobs] I've been betrayed! Oh, but what can this be but the   
price of my own infidelity? Miyako, I'm sorry! You're the only one for   
me, now and forever! Will you ever forgive me?  
  
[Cue sweatdrop at extreme camera left.]  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off; nervous] If it means you'll stop being so silly,   
I'll forgive you anything, my dear...  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off; sobbing for joy] Oh, thank you, love!  
  
[End sweatdrop.]  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off; consolatory] But, dear, the fact is they're not   
children any more...  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off; sobbing; he might blow his nose] I know...  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off; coyly] In any case, when you come upstairs   
there'll be another box waiting for you. I can't wait for you to unwrap   
it...  
  
[Kano suddenly turns green and puts her chopsticks down.]  
  
Mr. Miyazawa: [off; perking up] You mean you _do_ forgive me? Oh,   
darling...!  
  
[Shot of Tsukino at the table surrounded by books. She is   
sweatdropping, hanging her head.]  
  
Tsukino: Mom, just so you know, I could have gone my whole life without   
hearing that...  
  
[Cut back to Kano, still quite green.]  
  
Kano: That's it. I'm done. I think I've had a relapse. I'm going back   
to bed...  
  
[Cue sweatdrop at extreme camera left.]  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off; denying everything, not terribly convincingly] Oh,   
for heaven's sake...a box of chocolates, of course! What on earth did   
you think I meant?  
  
Kano: [not buying it] Then bring it downstairs and let's see it.  
  
[The sweatdrops at camera left rapidly multiply.]   
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off] What?...No! Only your father gets to see it!  
  
Yukino: [off; letting her mother off the hook] Mom, Dad, before you   
guys turn in...  
  
[Close up of Kano's face from the front. She looks attentive at the   
sound of Yukino's voice off camera left, turns to look.]  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off] Yes, Yukino?  
  
Yukino: [off] That picture of me in the front room. My junior high   
grad. picture...  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off] What about it?  
  
[Shot of the framed picture of Yukino, sitting on a table in the front   
room. It is the picture of Yukino, or rather her public image, that in   
Kano's imagination filled an entire wall; in reality it is only 20x25   
cm. (i.e. 8"x10"), a reasonable size for a graduation photo, but large   
enough to be prominent in the room.]  
  
Yukino: [off] I was thinking...I don't really like it any more. Would   
you mind if I took it down?  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [off; puzzled] Well, if that's really what you want, I   
suppose...  
  
[Front view of Mrs. Miyazawa's head and shoulders. She has let her hair   
down for her night out.]  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [concerned]...but why? What's wrong with it? You look   
wonderful in it...  
  
Yukino: [off] That's kind of the problem...  
  
Mrs. Miyazawa: [puzzled] I don't understand...what do you mean?  
  
Yukino: [off] It'd take a while to explain...let's just say I'm not   
proud of who I was back then. She's not much of a role model.  
  
[Front view of Yukino's head and shoulders. She is smiling a bit   
sheepishly.]  
  
Yukino: So I'd rather it not be staring at the back of Tsukino   
and Kano's necks any more.  
  
[Shot of Tsukino at the table surrounded by books. She is looking up, a   
look of slight incomprehension on her face.]  
  
[Close up of Kano's face as she looks left towards Yukino, looking   
thoughtful. She might smile slightly, knowingly.]  
  
[Cut to a shot of the Karekano characters dressed as the mob outside   
Jacques'   
(Yukino's) door from "La chienne noire du raconteur," the priest   
(Asaba) and   
the   
woodcutter (Kano) at their head.]  
  
Yukino: [to the crowd, as loudly as possible without shouting] Wait!  
  
Narrator: ...he said to them, and they were silent for a moment.  
  
[Shot from inside the door of the crowd, who turn to look at him.]  
  
[Close up of Yukino from the waist up as she speaks. The camera might   
pan up   
slightly as she does so.]  
  
Yukino: Very well. If the dog has harmed someone, then the dog must   
pay.   
There   
is something I need to do before you condemn me. To do it I must go   
inside   
and   
get my gun. Believe me, I will not use it against you. If I do, feel   
free to   
respond in kind, and my death will be on my own head.  
  
[Shot of Kano and Asaba disputing the issue for a moment, until Asaba   
finally   
makes a gesture of approval.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] The woodcutter objected, saying it was another trick,   
but the   
priest overruled him and allowed Jacques to go get his gun.  
  
[Still of Yukino going inside the door.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] So Jacques went inside...  
  
[Still of Yukino emerging from the door in her farmer's costume,   
holding a   
rifle.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...got his gun...  
  
[Still of the crowd gathered outside the barn; Yukino stands before   
them   
loading   
the gun.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...and led the crowd to his barn...  
  
[Close up of Yukino's face, right profile, whistling.]  
  
[SFX: A man whistling, as if to call a dog.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...where he made as if to call the dog...  
  
[Still of Yukino from the crowd's perspective, her back to the camera,   
walking   
to the back of the barn.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] ...and headed behind the barn out of sight.  
  
[Shot of the crowd standing around in confusion.]  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[SFX: A gunshot ringing out.]  
  
[Still of the backyard dog; now there is a bullet hole, out of which   
drips   
blood.]  
  
[Close up of Tsubasa's face, as she bites her lip.]  
  
[Shot of Rika the novice fainting, causing Aya the nun to panic for a   
moment.]  
  
[Shot of Yukino emerging from behind the barn, and slowly walking up to   
the   
crowd.]  
  
[Front view of the people at the head of the crowd, Asaba the priest   
and Kano   
the woodcutter among them, watching Yukino as she walks up to meet   
them. At   
last   
Yukino emerges, her back to the camera.]  
  
Yukino: There. It is done.  
  
[Shot of Yukino, left, from waist up, right profile, standing before   
Asaba   
and   
Kano, right, to address them.]  
  
Yukino: That is the end of the dog. Has justice been served?  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Asaba: Yes, I think so.  
  
[Close up on Kano as she reflects.]  
  
Kano: I think so too.  
  
[Shot of Yukino, her back turned to the camera, watching as Kano, then   
Asaba,   
then everybody else, begin to walk away.]  
  
[Close up of Yukino's face, right profile, as she watches them go, her   
expression pensive.]  
  
Narrator: [VO] And everyone was satisfied that that was the end of the   
dog.   
So   
they went away and left Jacques in peace for the rest of his life.  
  
Little girl: [VO; protesting] Hey! No fair!  
  
Narrator: [VO; suddenly thrown off, prosaic] What do you mean?  
  
[Cut to a little boy (possibly kindergarten-age Hiroyuki Miyazawa), and   
a   
little   
girl (it might be kindergarten-age Miyako), sitting on the floor at the   
head   
of   
the _Karekano_ characters dressed in their period French Canadian   
costumes.   
Peropero might be sitting on Miyako's lap. They look a little peeved.]  
  
Miyako: He just told another lie!  
  
Hiroyuki: [cynical] Yeah! Is this sort of stuff supposed to teach us   
good   
morals?  
  
[Peropero barks.]  
  
Narrator: [off; a bit irritated] That's not the point!  
  
Hiroyuki: Yeah? So what is the point?  
  
[Close up of a hand (Yukino's) pointing emphatically into the air.]  
  
Narrator: [off] The point is...  
  
[Cut to a full-length shot of the narrator, our first look at her. It   
is SD   
Yukino herself, dressed as Jacques. She finally drops the (fake) French   
Canadian   
accent.]  
  
Yukino: Don't tell the world you have a big black dog that doesn't   
exist, or   
you   
may find one day that you are no longer the dog's master.  
  
[Close up of Hiroyuki sitting on the floor. He turns his nose up in   
disgust.]  
  
Hiroyuki: [dismissive] How dumb were those people anyway?  
  
[Cut back to the close up of Kano's face; she is still smiling.]  
  
Kano: [to herself] They weren't the only ones.  
  
[Cut to a still of South Shirakawa Public School.]  
  
[Caption: NEXT DAY]  
  
[SFX: A bell rings to dismiss classes.]  
  
[Close up on a classroom sign reading 2-C.]  
  
Class rep: [female; off] Stand. [beat] Bow.   
  
Teacher: [off] Good afternoon.  
  
[SFX: Students are heard leaving their seats.]  
  
[Still of the scene inside the classroom. Students are eating their   
lunch, or are standing around at each other's desks conversing, or are   
reading comics, or are studying for the next class, and thus and so   
forth.]  
  
[Cut to front view of Kano, sitting at her desk clad in her winter   
uniform, cheerfully eating her boxed lunch.]  
  
[Close up on a front view of Kano's face as she puts some rice in her   
mouth.]  
  
Asaba Fangirl Leader: [off] So, Miyazawa!  
  
[Kano looks up left to acknowledge her.]  
  
[Shot from Kano's perspective of the fangirl leader looking down on   
Kano, a smirk on her face, surrounded by attendant fangirls.]  
  
Fangirl Leader: After all that boasting the other day, you're not   
escaping us until you tell us of your _inevitable_ rejection by Hideaki   
Asaba!  
  
[Shot from the waist up of Kano sitting at her desk, surrounded by   
fangirls.]  
  
Megumi: [off] Yes, Kano!  
  
[Kano looks right.]  
  
[Shot from the waist up of Megumi's left profile as she hangs over   
Kano's desk, a genuinely interested look on her face.]  
  
Megumi: How'd it go with Asaba?  
  
[Cut back to Kano sitting at her desk. She puts down her chopsticks and   
has herself a scary laugh.]  
  
Kano: [finally; creepily] You really want to know, don't you?  
  
[Shot of Kano at her desk, center, with the fangirl leader, at left,   
standing over her right shoulder, her arms folded, while Megumi stands   
at Kano's right. Fangirls are standing around the three listening   
attentively.]  
  
Megumi: Yes! Tell us!  
  
[Cut back to full-screen shot of Kano at her desk. She rises.]  
  
[Shot of the scene around Kano's desk. Kano (now SD) is now standing in   
the center of the crowd.]  
  
Kano: [narrative; to the crowd, as melodramatically as possible] After   
my detective work had discovered the top-secret location of the   
residence of Mr. Asaba...[the fangirls ooh and aah ad lib.]...I was   
able to deliver not only the chocolates but also a home-cooked dinner   
to the great man, which he ate with gusto and for which he thanked me   
profusely...  
  
[The oohing and aahing turns to squeals.]  
  
[Front view of the fangirl leader from the waist up, looking   
unimpressed.]  
  
Leader: [not buying this] And?  
  
[Cut back to SD Kano in the center of the crowd telling her story.]  
  
Kano: [still melodramatic] Finally, at the end of the evening, I worked   
up the courage to ask...[turns right profile to the camera; sprouts big   
starry girl's comic eyes, clasps hands in supplication] "Oh, Asaba, let   
me be yours!" [turns face back to the camera, her eyes shut; a tone of   
regret] To which, alas, he responded...[turns right profile to the   
camera; looks as glamorous as possible; imitates Asaba's voice, badly]   
"I'm sorry, but my heart belongs to another." [turns back to the   
camera; covers face with hands; sobs melodramatically] And my sleeves   
grew damp with tears...  
  
[Front view of the fangirl leader from the waist up, looking   
triumphant.]  
  
Leader: Ah-HAH! I knew you'd be rejected! You were a fool to expect   
anything else!  
  
[Kano suddenly gets in her face. She lifts a finger demonstratively, a   
smirk now all over her face.]  
  
Kano: Ah, but can you claim even to have been rejected by the great   
Hideaki Asaba?  
  
[The fangirl leader suddenly looks nervous, sweatdrops.]  
  
Leader: [defensive] Uh, well...that's beside the point...!  
  
[The fangirls suddenly look irritated at their leader.]  
  
Random Fangirl: Yoko, you poser! You said you'd been rejected by Asaba   
three times!  
  
[Cut back to the fangirl leader, who hangs her head in shame, and moves   
off camera. Kano looks triumphant.]  
  
Fangirl: [off; a tone of leadership now in her own voice] Come on,   
show's over!  
  
[Cut back to SD Kano in the center of the crowd. The deposed fangirl   
leader exits left, hanging her head. The crowd slowly disperses in   
disappointment, and not a little disgust.]  
  
Megumi: Are you sure that's how it happened?   
  
[Front view of Megumi from the waist up, looking skeptical.]  
  
Megumi: It sounds like something from a book by Ayaki Sawai...  
  
[Shot from the waist up of normal Kano's left profile. She suddenly   
looks thoughtful.]  
  
Kano: [to Megumi] So what if it did? What would it prove, except that   
anybody can be Ayaki Sawai?  
  
[Cut back to Megumi, looking thunderstruck.]  
  
Megumi: [horrified, as if by a blasphemous remark] Kano!  
  
[Front view of Kano from the chest down, her hands folded in front of   
her. Megumi suddenly takes the hands in hers, forcing Kano to turn to   
camera right towards her.]  
  
Megumi: [off] Repeat after me. "Nobody is Ayaki Sawai. Ayaki Sawai is   
God."  
  
[Shot from the waist up of Kano's right profile, her hands in Megumi's.   
She is smiling, a bit defiantly.]  
  
Kano: "Anyone can be Aya Sawada. Aya Sawada's bad news."  
  
[Shot from the waist up of Megumi's left profile. She is shocked,   
unsure what to make of this.]  
  
Megumi: Kano, are you feeling all right? Who's Aya Sawada?  
  
[Shot from the waist up of Kano's right profile, her hands in Megumi's,   
still smiling, but not at all boastfully.]  
  
Kano: [quietly, with not a hint of conceit] That's her real name. Ayaki   
Sawai's real name, I mean. I've met her once or twice. She goes to my   
sister's school.  
  
[Front view of Megumi from the waist up. Shock has given way to   
confusion.]  
  
Megumi: She does? How old is she?  
  
[Front view of Kano from the waist up. Her expression has gone   
neutral.]  
  
Kano: [nonchalant] I dunno. Sixteen, maybe? She's in my sister's grade.  
  
[Shot of Megumi's and Kano's outstretched arms, Kano's hands in   
Megumi's. She lets them go, and the arms of both girls slowly fall.]  
  
Megumi: [off; a bit surprised] Oh. Okay.  
  
[Beat.]  
  
[Front view of Megumi from the waist up.]  
  
Megumi: [curious] What's she like? Is she nice?  
  
[Full length shot of SD Kano sweatdropping, scratching her head.]  
  
Kano: Ehhhh...actually she's a bit of a butthead.  
  
[Front view of normal Kano's head and shoulders.]  
  
Kano: [smiling] But she's okay.   
  
[Front view of Megumi's head and shoulders, an attentive look on her   
face.]  
  
Kano: [off] Really modest, too. She'd freak if she heard someone call   
her God. [beat; Megumi might look a bit ashamed] Actually, pretty   
normal all around. I guess anybody can be famous, really, if they work   
hard enough. It's no big deal. I'm not gonna run around and tell the   
whole world I know Ayaki Sawai. [beat] Just you.  
  
[Beat.]  
  
Megumi: Say...so are you all right about it?  
  
Kano: [off] About what?  
  
Megumi: Asaba turning you down. [beat] That's what he did, right?  
  
Kano: [off] You haven't told _me_ about how you made out...  
  
[Megumi suddenly looks away, embarrassed.]  
  
Megumi: What's to tell? He likes somebody else...  
  
Kano: [off] Nope! Not good enough!  
  
[Megumi looks up, not understanding.]  
  
[Shot of the two girls standing before each other, Kano at left, Megumi   
at right.]  
  
Kano: [completely serious] You know, if you don't trust me to tell me   
about the guy you like, I can't tell you about Asaba.  
  
[Megumi slowly hangs her head. Kano suddenly looks concerned.]  
  
Kano: Megumi? Did I say something wrong?  
  
Megumi: [a bit upset] No, Kano.  
  
[Front view of Megumi from the waist down, hanging her head.]  
  
Megumi: It was just a bit rough on me, okay? I don't want to talk about   
it right now...  
  
Kano: [off] Later, maybe? After school maybe you wanna go somewhere?   
[beat; trying to tempt her] My treat...!   
  
[Shot of Kano's arms as she takes Megumi's hands in hers.]  
  
Kano: [more serious, softly] But if we're really and truly friends,   
then I need to know. I care about you, Megumi.  
  
[Close up on Megumi's head and shoulders. She looks up; there might be   
tears in her eyes.]  
  
Megumi: [accepting; smiling through her tears] Okay!  
  
[Front view from the waist up of SD Kano, pointing to the sky. Mount   
Fuji might be in the background.]  
  
Kano: And when we're done, we can go on to talk about that fan comic of   
yours with which we shall conquer the world!  
  
[Left profile shot of Megumi from the waist up, who is suddenly looking   
unnerved at Kano's enthusiasm.]  
  
Megumi: What, my _Nanami_ comic?  
  
[Kano suddenly steps on camera, getting in her face a bit.]  
  
Kano: [dismissive] Forget Nanami. She sucks.  
  
Megumi: [confused] She does?  
  
Kano: [clarifying] Well, no, the show's okay, but face it, the girl's   
bad news...Anyway! We can't conquer the world with a comic based on   
somebody else's characters! We are our own women, Megumi! We need to   
find our own voices! Our own themes! Our own identities! Our own cool   
circle name!  
  
[Front view of Megumi's head and shoulders, as she looks more and more   
overwhelmed.]  
  
Kano: [off] With me as writer and you as artist, we'll kick ass   
together! Who knows, maybe we can even sell our work somewhere and   
become professionals!   
  
[Front view of Kano's head and shoulders, as she waxes exuberant.]  
  
Kano: We'll be bigger than Ayaki Sawai! The world is our oyster,   
Megumi!   
  
Megumi: [off] But what will we write about?  
  
[Kano settles down a bit, though she's still cheerful.]  
  
Kano: [a bit more seriously] What we know more about than our readers.  
  
[Shot of Megumi's hands in Kano's. Kano squeezes a bit.]  
  
Kano: Like our first loves...  
  
[Front view of Megumi's head and shoulders. She suddenly looks away,   
reluctant.]  
  
Megumi: I'm not sure I could...  
  
[Front view of Kano's head and shoulders. She is completely serious.]  
  
Kano: Megumi, that's all Aya ever writes about. What she knows more   
about than anyone else. [suddenly smiles] Don't worry! We can change   
the details so nobody gets embarrassed, but aside from that, it'll be   
okay. Who knows? Maybe somebody'll learn from it, you don't know...  
  
[Front view of Megumi's head and shoulders. That seems to have   
satisfied her.]  
  
Megumi: Okay. [beat; suddenly thinking of something] What are we going   
to call ourselves though?  
  
[Shot of the two girls, now SD, standing before each other.]  
  
Kano: [enthusiastic] Studio Poutine!   
  
Megumi: [confused] Studio Poutine?  
  
Kano: You know, poutine! Like in _Nanami_!  
  
Megumi: [suddenly smiling, conspiratorially] Okay!  
  
Kano: So you in?  
  
Megumi: Sure!  
  
Kano: [dramatically] And thus, a new era in the history of Japanese   
comics has begun!  
  
[Kano starts to sing the ending theme to _Nanami_, i.e. Gilles   
Vigneault's "Gens du pays":]  
  
Kano: [singing] Men of our land, now is your turn  
To let yourselves speak of _amour_...  
[prosaic] Sing, Meg!  
  
Kano and Megumi: [in harmony] Men of our land, now is your turn  
To let yourselves speak of _amour_...  
  
[Dissolve to white, as Kano's and Megumi's singing fades into the   
French version as recorded by Vigneault himself:]  
  
Voice: [male, in French, perhaps in a different key]   
  
Gens du pays, c'est votre tour  
De vous laisser parler d'amour...  
Gens du pays, c'est votre tour  
De vous laisser parler d'amour...  
  
[Then, in black type:]  
  
[At left, in French: Et à ce moment  
Les perce-neiges de février  
S'epanouirent enfin.  
  
[At right, in Japanese: And at that moment  
The snowdrops of February  
Did blossom at last.]  
  
[Caption: in French: A SUIVRE  
in English: TO BE CONTINUED  
in Japanese: TSUZUKU]  
  
[Caption: OMAKE  
BLAME UKYOU KUONJI (ukyoukwnji@aol.com) FOR THIS SEGMENT]  
  
[Cut to the film set of The Storyteller's Black Dog story. The picture   
is slightly flickery, like an old film should be, and everyone is still   
dressed in traditional French Canadian garb and gathered around   
Jacques' barn. Kano is the first to acknowledge the camera, and she   
moves toward it, speaking as she approaches]  
  
Kano: The preceding story has been a work of fanfiction, for use solely   
for entertainment purposes...[beat; looks thoughtful] although, if   
you've learned anything from us, that's cool, too.  
  
[Close up of Kano from the shoulders up. Peropero is perched on her   
shoulder, but we can still see the rest of the cast behind her.]  
  
Kano: Paul Corrigan and Studio Poutine are in no way affiliated with   
Masami Tsuda and Hakusensha, the rightful owners on _Karekano_ and all   
characters therein.   
  
[The remainder of the cast nods vigorously over her shoulder.]  
  
[Cut to side view shot of Kano from the waist up. Peropero leaps from   
her shoulder as she turns to face the new camera angle. Only Asaba, as   
the priest, and Yukino, as Jacques, are also visible in this shot.]  
  
Kano: Besides, I never really wanted Asaba, anyway...   
  
[Asaba looks thoroughly disappointed.]  
  
Voice from crowd: [it might be Megumi] So what _did_ you want?  
  
Another: [it might be Yukino, realizing what is to come] Oh God, no...  
  
Kano: [ignoring question, hefting ax to her shoulder] I always wanted   
to be...A LUMBERJACK!   
  
[BGM: Upright piano music as Kano begins the famous spiel.]   
  
Kano: Leaping from tree to tree as they float down the mighty rivers of   
B--  
  
[Cut to the crowd, looking irate]  
  
Crowd: QUEBEC!  
  
[Cut back to now-SD Kano, sweatdropping]  
  
Kano: Ah, heh-heh, right. So, what kind of trees are we famous for here   
in Quebec, anyway?  
  
[Piano music stops abruptly. Cut back to crowd. Synchronized blink of   
confusion, then everyone turns to his neighbor.   
  
Crowd: [conferring ad lib.] Do you know?   
Haven't any ideas...   
What rivers come to think of it?   
The St. Lawrence, yeah, but...   
From Ungava Bay? That's just tundra!  
  
Kano: [off] Right.  
  
[Piano intro resumes. Cut back to Kano]  
  
Kano: With my best buddies by my side [Megumi sidles alongside of her,   
and Arima, Yukino and Asaba stand behind the two of them], we'd sing,   
sing, sing!  
  
Kano [singing lustily]: Oh, I'm a lumberjack, and I'm okay...  
[Yukino and Asaba nod firmly]  
I sleep all night, and I work all day!  
  
[Cut back to crowd, where 'Sister' Aya is conducting the others in the   
refrain.]  
  
Crowd [also singing]: She's a lumberjack and she's okay  
She sleeps all night, and she works all day!  
  
[Cut back to Kano. Arima, Yukino and Asaba may be humming in the   
background.]  
  
Kano: I cut down trees...   
[she swings her ax, unsteadily...it's heavier than she'd expected]  
I eat my lunch,   
[Megumi hands her a bento]  
I go to the lavva-treeee   
[she blushes slightly]  
On Wednesdays I go shoppin',  
And have hot poutine for tea!  
  
[Behind her, Asaba holds up a gravy-and-cheese-covered french fry, a   
blissful expression on his face as he bites into it.]  
  
[Cut to the crowd.]  
  
Crowd: She cuts down trees, she eats her lunch,  
She goes to the lavva-treeee,  
On Wednesdays she goes shoppin',  
And has hot poutine for tea!  
She's a lumberjack and she's okay,  
She sleeps all night, and she works all day!  
  
[Back to Kano. There is a Quebec flag flying behind SD-Asaba, who is   
still blissed-out from the poutine. Arima and Yukino are still humming   
along in the background, but they're looking at Asaba with some concern   
rather than at the camera. A French Canadian folksong is playing   
discordantly in the background, evidently emanating from behind Asaba.   
Kano does not notice any of this.]  
  
Kano: I cut down trees   
[She drops the ax]  
I skip and jump   
[She and Megumi sashay around each other]  
I like to press wild flowers  
[She bends down out of shot, returning with a freshly-picked lily]  
I put on women's clothing,  
And hang around in bars.  
  
[At this last line Asaba snaps out of it to stare at Kano, but we don't   
have much time to dwell on this fact...]  
  
[Cut to crowd again]  
  
Crowd: She cuts down trees, she skips and jumps  
She likes to press wild flowers  
She puts on women's clothing,  
And hangs around in bars...?  
  
[With this line, the crowd becomes hesitant and looks at each other in   
concern.]  
  
[Sudden jump cut. The crowd seems to have recovered from the last   
line, and is once again singing heartily. The crowd is also larger by   
half, since there are a fair number of half-drunk Koreans who have   
joined the chorus. The quality of the singing decays as the (sober)   
regular cast members stop and stare at the interlopers, who, being   
half-drunk, are not nearly as good at staying on key]  
  
She's a lumberjack and she's okay,  
She sleeps all night, and she works all day!  
  
[Back to Kano, who is oblivious to the chorus.]  
  
Kano: I cut down trees, I wear high heels,  
suspenders and a braaa...  
I wish I'd been a girlie  
Just like my dear mamaaa!  
  
[Back to the chorus, now once again without the Koreans.]  
  
Crowd: She cuts down trees, she wears high heels,  
suspenders and a braaa...  
She wishes she'd been girly  
Just like her dear mamaaa!  
  
[Kano can be heard still holding out 'mamaaaaa' as the crowd continues]  
  
Crowd: She's a lumberjack and she's...   
  
Kano: Hey! Hold it! Hold it! [the crowd trails off ad lib] Aren't you   
gonna complain and pelt me with fruit or something?  
  
Asaba [stepping forward]: What for?  
  
Kano: Well, you know, for saying I wear women's clothing and all that.  
  
[Asaba looks puzzled for a moment.]  
  
Asaba: But you're a girl. That's okay for you to do. Hell, it's okay if   
you wanna dress in _guy's_ clothing [indicating the plaid flannel shirt   
she is wearing], too. Now, if I said _I_ wanted to dress in girls   
clothing...  
  
Yukino's sycophants: [in crowd] Waaah! Asaba, how could you?! And we   
thought you were so bishonen! [they exit]  
  
Arima: [in crowd] Yeah, that's the problem.  
  
Asaba: [calling after them] I said IF! Sheesh...see if I ever read   
_them_ the Song of Songs again...  
  
Kano: So it's okay if I'm wearing suspenders and a bra...?  
  
Asaba: Well, yeah, of course it's... whaddya doing?  
  
[It's painfully obvious what Kano's doing...she's stripping down to her   
bra and garters. Or trying to.]  
  
[Arima rushes forward with the Quebec flag from Asaba's poutine, and   
drapes Kano with it, just as she undoes her work pants and lets them   
fall to the ground.]  
  
Arima: [sweatdropping like mad] I think we've done this already in this   
fic...why don't we give it a rest?  
  
Kano: [coyly] Why? It's a dream sequence, right? So it doesn't matter   
if I get naked here...  
  
[Yukino grabs Kano's arm and playfully twists it behind her]  
  
Yukino: It'll matter in a second or two, girl...  
  
Kano: Ow! Owowow! Leggo my arm! Leggo--!  
  
[Cut to the Miyazawa girls' bedroom. Kano continues to protest ad lib.   
Tsukino sits up, disgusted.]  
  
Tsukino: KANO! Cripes, wake up and let me sleep! The singing was okay,   
but the yelling is a real pain.  
  
[Close up on Kano on her futon, her covers still up to her neck. Her   
arm is tucked under her head. She lifts her head, and looks at her   
arm.]  
  
Kano: It's asleep.  
  
Tsukino: Well, I'd like to join it. Either pipe down, or go to the   
couch.  
  
[She flops back down onto her futon]  
  
[Shot of Kano's futon as she stands up. The bottom half of her pajamas   
are at her ankles.]  
  
Kano: [nervously] The _couch_? Are you some kind of perv...[falls over]   
Awk!  
  
[White screen.]  
  
[Caption: TSUZUKU]  



End file.
